Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 July 2018
By the mid-twentieth century in the United Kingdom, musical instrument manufacturing had become an increasingly mechanized activity. Craft skills had been displaced in many areas, yet remained a vital source of competitive advantage in local and international markets and were particularly valued by professional musicians. This article examines the contrasting experiences of two British musical instrument manufacturers, tracing the unfolding relationship between their pursuit of entrepreneurial opportunities and capability development. Boosey & Hawkes, a large, well-established manufacturing and publishing company, was an early pioneer, while Paxman Bros., a small musical retailer, transformed itself into one of the world’s most respected specialist manufacturers. The narrative probes the factors that shaped decision making in these companies as they developed a series of design innovations for one of the more complex brass instruments: the French horn. It draws on relevant theoretical insights to examine how a dynamic interaction between opportunity and capability, coupled with unanticipated contingencies, contributed to divergent outcomes for each company.
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support given to this research by a research grant from the British Academy/Leverhulme Trust (Small Research Grant SG130887). The authors also wish to record their gratitude to the music community at large, especially those horn players (both amateur and professional), music critics, organologists, writers, instrument makers, and museum curators and archivists (past and present) who provided invaluable help and assistance during the research for this article.