A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Hoffmann, Gerard

by Mary Catherine Hamilton

HOFFMANN, Gerard, architect, born at Rostenberg, Nov. 11, 1690; composed sacred cantatas, and church music; is credited by Walther with certain improvements in musical instruments—an additional key to the horizontal flute, making it easier to tune (1727); an additional key to the oboe, by which the G♯ in both octaves was given much more correctly; a mechanical arrangement by which the whole four strings of the violin could be altered at once (a different pitch was then in use for secular and sacred music); a new temperament for tuning instruments (1728); and for the organ (1733); and a gauge for the strings of violins, bass-viols, lutes, and other stringed instruments.

[ M. C. C. ]