Saxhorn

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The saxhorn is a valved brass instrument with a tapered bore and deep cup-shaped mouthpiece. The sound has a characteristic mellow quality, and blends well with other brass.

1 The Saxhorn Family
2 History
3 References
4 External links

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The Saxhorn Family

The saxhorns form a family of seven instruments (although at one point ten different sizes seem to have existed). Designed for band use, they are pitched alternately in E♭ and B♭, like the saxophone group. There was a parallel family built in F and C for orchestral use, but this seems to have died out.

There is much confusion as to nomenclature of the various instruments in different languages. This has been exacerbated by the debate as to whether the saxhorn family was truly new, or rather a development of members of the previously existing cornet and tuba families.

The following table shows the identical and/or related instrument in current French, UK, US, German and Italian usage:

Original Name	Key	Transposition	France	UK	US	Germany	Italy
Saxhorn soprano	E♭	up; min. 3rd	Bugle soprano	Soprano in E♭		Flügelhorn piccolo in Es	Flicorno sopranino in mi♭
	C	at pitch				Flügelhorn in C
Saxhorn contralto	B♭	down; maj. 2nd	Bugle contralto	Alto in B♭	Flugelhorn in B♭	Flügelhorn in B	Flicorno soprano in si♭
	F	down; perf. 5th				Althorn in F	Flicorno contralto in fa
Saxhorn tenor	E♭	down; maj. 6th	Alto mi♭	Tenor Horn in E♭	Alto Horn in E♭	Althorn in Es	Flicorno contralto in mi♭
	C	down; 8ve				Tenorhorn in C
Saxhorn baryton	B♭	down; 8ve+maj. 2nd	Baryton	Baritone Horn in B♭	Tenor in B♭	Tenorhorn in B♭	Flicorno tenore in si♭
Saxhorn basse	B♭	down; 8ve+maj. 2nd	Saxhorn	Euphonium / Tenor Tuba*	Baritone	Baritonhorn in B	Flicorno baritono in si♭ / Bombardino
	F	down; 8ve+perf. 5th				Basstuba in F*	Flicorno basso grave in fa
Saxhorn contrebasse	E♭	down; 8ve + maj. 6th	Tuba basse*	Bass Tuba in E♭	Bass in E♭		Flicorno basso grave in mi♭ / Bombardone*
	C	down; 2 8ves		Contrabass Tuba in C*	Contrabass in CC*	Kontrabasstuba in C*	Flicorno contrabasso in do
Saxhorn contrebasse	B♭	down; 2 8ves + maj. 6th	Tuba contre-basse*	Contrabass Tuba in B♭*	Contrabass in BB♭*	Kontrabasstuba in B*	Flicorno contrabasso in si♭

In orchestral use, instruments marked with an asterisk are normally written at concert pitch in bass clef.

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History

Image:Saxhorn.jpg Developed during the mid to late 1830s, the saxhorn family was patented in Paris in 1845 by Adolphe Sax. Sax's claim to have invented the instrument was hotly contested by other brass instrument makers during his lifetime, leading to various lawsuits. Throughout the mid-1850s, he continued to experiment with the instrument's valve pattern.

Saxhorns were popularized by the distinguished Distin Quintet, who toured Europe during the mid-nineteenth century. This family of musicians, publishers and instrument manufacturers had a significant impact on the growth of the brass band movement in Britain during the mid-to late-1800s.

The saxhorn was the most common brass instrument in American Civil War bands.

A contemporary work featuring this instrument is Desire Dondeyne's "Tubissimo", for bass tuba or saxhorn and piano (1983).

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