Different shapes of 19th century Alto Horns

Transcription:

In the 19th century, with the invention of valves for brass instruments, there was a lot of experimentation with different valves and with the shape of the horn. These are all Eb alto horns, just different shapes. This is an early design. It played across the chest with the bell up and the sound projecting up. It uses rotary valves. When you press the lever, the valve turns, allowing the air to go through the extra tubing, playing a different note.

Here is another upright, different design. Here the valves are on top, so it would be played like this. In the 1850’s, there was a new design: over the shoulder. This became very popular during the Civil War. When the band marched in front of the troops, the sound would project back, and the troops would hear the music.

Another good instrument design for parades, is the circular, or helicon design. This originated in Europe, where it was used for marching bands or even mounted bands. The cornet would also have been circular, but it would have been smaller not something that you could wear. So it would just be carried in the hands. The larger bass or tuba helicon is the predecessor of the sousaphone, named after John Phillip Sousa.

After the Civil War, we see a bell front model. This looks like a large cornet, but with the bell pointed towards a concert audience, the sound projects better towards the audience. A little bit later in the century, we see a bell front with a large bell. This was often called a solo model because it made a larger sound. Here we have another upright with a piston valve. Push the button and the valve moves up and down within the casing.

After the turn of the century, we see another piston valve model with a narrower valve. The thicker valve was the Berliner-Pumpen valve, this one is the Périnet or french-design valve. This model of horn looks very much like a miniature baritone horn and this type of a model is still used in many of the British brass bands. Here is one more Eb alto horn, this is from the 1920’s and it actually looks like a miniature valve trombone. It also has piston valves and would be played like this. So there you see, these are all Eb alto horns, just different shapes.