Posted by Alan Herold on December 19, 2000 at 11:34:45:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: OK, I think I FINALLY understand. posted by J. P. on December 17, 2000 at 16:40:56:
I was joking with the Tuba-Roo thing. I do need to let you know that Sousa did not invent the sousaphone. I don't know the joke about the brazier inventor. Is it suitable for posting?
Read on...
In an interview with John Philip Sousa the Christian Science Monitor of May 30, 1922 quoted him as follows:
"...the Sousaphone received its name through a suggestion made by me to J.W. Pepper, the instrument manufacturer of Philadelphia, full 30 odd years ago. At that time, the United States Marine Band of Washington, D.C., of which I was conductor, used a BBb bass tuba of circular form known as a "Helicon". It was all right enough for street-parade work, but its tone was apt to shoot ahead too prominently and explosively to suite me for concert performances, so I spoke to Mr. Pepper relative to constructing a bass instrument in which the bell would turn upwards and be adjustable for concert
purposes. He built one and, greatful to me for the suggestion, called it a Sousaphone. It was immediately taken up by other instrument makers, and is today manufactured in its greatest degree of perfection by the C.G. Conn Company..."