Posted by Klaus on November 12, 2001 at 15:17:32:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Tenor tuba ? posted by Tracy B. on November 12, 2001 at 12:42:36:
A long one with some reference sites:
No intentions of no exposure. But my inherent skepsis towards the occurrence of a "new" type of instrument from an age and in a field, that I have read quite authoritative sources on, might have been expressed more clearly than intended.
All of us can have varying opinions on eBay. For me it is a quite rich source of illustrations of a plentitude of brass instruments. It is in exactly that spirit, that I will bring a few links. I am not involved in any of these auctions. I am endorsing nothing and critisising nothing.
I hinted, that the instrument called euphonium has undergone a development towards more voluminous bows, branches, and bells. The Sovereign 967 being an exponent of the most recent 12" 4 valve compensation variant and the Besson 7xx representing the 11" 3 or 4 valve non-compensating instruments of today.
Looking at this instrument:
Distin Baritone / Euphonium - circa 1896
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1484929253
will reveal an instrument, that is easily recognisable as a Brit style euph. Yet it has less voluminous top and bottom bows plus bell throat than the later samples. The profile of the bell flare is not too dissimilar to the 967, even if the diameter is smaller.
Looking at the 18 years younger
Vintage Besson euphonium 4 valve, comp
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1485039876
shows as well a point in the general development as a dead end road of the same (at least in a historical perspective).
In my eyes the volume of the bell throat and stack plus the bottom bow has increased. The flaring of the bell is less pronounced
The instrument is called compensating. From a philosophical point of view, that could be said to be true. However, the use of this term is not congruent with the modern use thereof. What my eyes see, is an instrument equipped with the so called Enharmonic system. Without digging too deep into the details, this system is technically more equivalent to the full double French horn.
Looking at the
BESSON IMPERIAL EUPHONIUM WITH NEW CASE
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1483334336
will show you the last or second last step of the development before the present day Sovereign euphoniums (I can not say which from the picture alone. The mouthpiece receiver standard changed from medium European to bassbone size from 1974(?))
Again the volume from top bow through bell throat has increased. Hence the bell flaring is even less pronounced. This model was the one that conquered the US market after WWII.
Today the selection of 4 valve compensating euphoniums is greater than ever with producers from the UK (at least 2 makers), Germany (at least 2 makers), Switzerland (at least 2 makers), France (1 maker), and Japan (1 maker). My personal preferences have been stated. They are not British. But it would be dishonest to deny, that the main historical development of the euphonium has happed in the UK.
Klaus