The Euphonium

Yamaha YEP-642UK

Besson Sovereign 967

Besson Sovereign

Technical Information

The euphonium is a brass instrument, which means that sound is produced by vibrating the air column with the lips. It has 3 or 4 valves, the 4th valve allowing the chromatic series between concert low E (123 or 24) and pedal Bb (open). By pressing combinations of valves to enable different harmonic series', a full chromatic range can be produced from concert pedal F (13 or 4) and slightly lower, to F four octaves above and higher in the hands of an expert. In more advanced models there is often a compensation system - small amounts of extra tubing activated when valves are pressed down which improves the tuning. In the most recent model from Besson, the "Prestige", there is an extra trigger activated by the left hand which moves the main tuning slide and is useful in the often sharp upper register. The Courtois euphonium also has a similar system with the first valve slide.

The euphonium has a tapered bore and is usually played with a deep cup mouthpiece. There are many different makes and styles of mouthpiece available, however. Some of the newer styles have a heavier top to add sonority to the tone, and the Wick range includes ones with interchangeable tops. There are also many different sizes of inner rim and rim widths. Generally, smaller mouthpieces are better for the upper register and a clear tone quality, whereas a larger mouthpiece provides a richer tone and rounded lower register.

Euphoniums are pitched in Bb, that is to say, the basic open note is a concert Bb. Some players, mainly those brought up playing in wind bands, read bass clef at concert pitch - the written note is exactly the note played. Other players (mainly brass band players) read treble clef at Bb pitch, which means that the played note is a tone down and an octave lower than the written note. Yes, it is complicated, and it took me a while to get used to, being a bass clef player. Here is an example : the player sees a written treble clef middle C (one leger line below the staff). When played, this note is concert low Bb (open). Hence the tone down and an octave lower. The reason for these two different ways of reading originated with the brass bands, where everyone except bass trombones, Eb (tenor) horns and percussion reads treble Bb. Since almost everyone read the same clef and pitch, it was easy to swap between instruments. This tradition has continued to this day, although bass clef is becoming more common, particularly in America, where there is less of a brass band tradition than in Britain.

Finally, I feel I must point out that a euphonium is NOT a baritone, as the two are often taken as one and the same, espacially in America. The baritone is a noticably smaller cousin of the euphonium, playing at the same pitch but with a smaller range and less sonorous sound.

Nirschl WN-25

B & H Sterling

Besson International 765

History

The euphonium as we know it is a relatively modern instrument, but it has developed through many forms over the years.

The first appearances of what may be considered the forerunners of the euphonium appeared in the early 1800's. The "serpent" was a wooden instrument with a brass style mouthpiece but finger holes like a recorder, and a curved shape, hence the name. Manufacturers in Austria and Germany were experimenting with designs at this time, and one instrument which was to develop into the euphonium was the "tenorbasshorn".

In the middle of the 1800's Adolph Sax (most famous for the development of the saxophone) developed a range of brass instruments which he called Saxhorns, the lower pitched instruments being similar to the euphonium. Also developed in France was an instrument called the "ophicleide", something between a baritone saxophone and a basson, and which was still played into the early part of the 20th century in France. Around this time in Germany, an instrument called a euphonium (later baryton) was developed, and in Austria, an interestingly titled instrument of similar range, the "hellhorn" appeared. Other variations which appeared around this time were the "phonikon", which didn't have a flared bell, but one in the style of that of the cor anglais, and bass instruments with ten woodwind style keys, called euphoniums. Composers started to write parts for these instruments in the late 1800's and they became a standard part of military bands, although the baritone instruments were soon used only in brass bands.

The first compensating system was introduced by David Blaikley in 1874, and was based around a similar system to todays compensating systems. The first occurence of the unusual double belled euphonium appeared in the late 1880's, but they ceased to be manufactured in the 1960's, mainly because of the impractical nature of the instrument.

One of the earliest occurences of the euphonium in orchestral music was in Richard Strauss' "Don Quixote", in 1896 (this was also the first time that a mute had been asked for) and soon after this, Mahler used a euphonium in his 7th Symphony. However, the instrument is still not widely recognised in the orchestral medium.

Development remained rather stagnant throughout the first half of the 20th century, but since 1970 there has been a great increase in development of repertoire and a greater public profile has been raised. Boundaries are being pushed back all the time, but there is still a long way to go in achieving full recognition of the instrument's potential.





Groves Music Dictionary
"Historical Development of the Euphonium and Baritone" Mike Stetcher
"A Brief History of the Euphonium and Baritone"
"You Play a What?" Brian Bowman

Jennifer Pollock
euphbass@hotmail.com
Last Updated August 1999