In the 19th and early 20th centuries, timpani were mainly produced in central Germany. High-quality orchestral instruments were supplied by factories in Altenburg (G.Jul. Wunderlich), Leipzig (C. Korte), Dresden (Dresdner Apparatebau) and Vogtland (M.& G. Voigt, Leberecht Fischer). The most important inventions, such as the pedal for quickly retuning the skins, also came from Saxony, with members of the great orchestras providing decisive impulses. We have the Leipzig Gewandhaus timpanist E.G.B. Pfundt to thank for the practical crank timpani, while C. Pittrich from the Dresden court orchestra invented the pedal timpani that is commonly used today. M. Puschmann from the Chemnitz city orchestra devised a particularly original mechanism with many cogwheels.

Visitors may be amazed at the ingenious technical solutions that were devised to allow the timpani head to be retuned quickly and silently. After all, this had to work reliably in the great orchestral works of R. Wagner or A. Bruckner. Apropos: Wagner also ordered timpani from Leipzig especially for his Bayreuth opera house. Today the timpanist uses a pedal to tune the timpani, but in the past it was necessary to turn a crank or the entire timpani bowl, set cogwheels in motion or handle square keys. Visitors can try out some things for themselves under supervision. The instruments are regularly brought to life in guided tours and workshops.