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The Euphonium

Yamaha YEP-642UK

Besson Sovereign967

BessonSovereign

Technical In orma!ion

The euphonium is a "rass ins!rumen!# $hich means !ha! soun% is pro%uce% "&vi"ra!ing !he air column $i!h !he lips' I! has ( or 4 valves# !he 4!h valve allo$ing !hechroma!ic series "e!$een concer! lo$ E )*2( or 24+ an% pe%al B" )open+' B&pressing com"ina!ions o valves !o ena"le %i,eren! harmonic series # a ullchroma!ic range can "e pro%uce% rom concer! pe%al . )*( or 4+ an% sligh!l& lo$er#!o . our oc!aves a"ove an% higher in !he han%s o an e/per!' In more a%vance%mo%els !here is o !en a compensa!ion s&s!em - small amoun!s o e/!ra !u"ingac!iva!e% $hen valves are presse% %o$n $hich improves !he !uning' In !he mos!recen! mo%el rom Besson# !he 0Pres!ige0# !here is an e/!ra !rigger ac!iva!e% "& !hele ! han% $hich moves !he main !uning sli%e an% is use ul in !he o !en sharp upperregis!er' The 1our!ois euphonium also has a similar s&s!em $i!h !he rs! valve sli%e'

The euphonium has a !apere% "ore an% is usuall& pla&e% $i!h a %eep cupmou!hpiece' There are man& %i,eren! ma3es an% s!&les o mou!hpiece availa"le#ho$ever' Some o !he ne$er s!&les have a heavier !op !o a%% sonori!& !o !he !one#an% !he ic3 range inclu%es ones $i!h in!erchangea"le !ops' There are also man&

%i,eren! si5es o inner rim an% rim $i%!hs' enerall smaller mou!hpieces are"e!!er or !he upper regis!er an% a clear !one uali! $hereas a larger mou!hpieceprovi%es a richer !one an% roun%e% lo$er regis!er'

Euphoniums are pi!che% in B"# !ha! is !o sa !he "asic open no!e is a concer! B"'Some pla&ers# mainl& !hose "rough! up pla&ing in $in% "an%s# rea% "ass cle a!concer! pi!ch - !he $ri!!en no!e is e/ac!l& !he no!e pla&e%' 8!her pla&ers )mainl&"rass "an% pla&ers+ rea% !re"le cle a! B" pi!ch# $hich means !ha! !he pla&e% no!e isa !one %o$n an% an oc!ave lo$er !han !he $ri!!en no!e' Yes# i! is complica!e%# an% i!!oo3 me a $hile !o ge! use% !o# "eing a "ass cle pla&er' ere is an e/ample : !hepla&er sees a $ri!!en !re"le cle mi%%le 1 )one leger line "elo$ !he s!a,+' henpla&e%# !his no!e is concer! lo$ B" )open+' ence !he !one %o$n an% an oc!avelo$er' The reason or !hese !$o %i,eren! $a&s o rea%ing origina!e% $i!h !he "rass"an%s# $here ever&one e/cep! "ass !rom"ones# E" )!enor+ horns an% percussionrea%s !re"le B"' Since almos! ever&one rea% !he same cle an% pi!ch# i! $as eas& !o

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s$ap "e!$een ins!rumen!s' This !ra%i!ion has con!inue% !o !his %a al!hough "asscle is "ecoming more common# par!icularl& in ;merica# $here !here is less o a"rass "an% !ra%i!ion !han in Bri!ain'

.inall I eel I mus! poin! ou! !ha! a euphonium is

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The rs! compensa!ing s&s!em $as in!ro%uce% "& Cavi% Blai3le& in *?74# an% $as"ase% aroun% a similar s&s!em !o !o%a&s compensa!ing s&s!ems' The rs! occurenceo !he unusual %ou"le "elle% euphonium appeare% in !he la!e *??@ s# "u! !he&cease% !o "e manu ac!ure% in !he *96@ s# mainl& "ecause o !he imprac!ical na!ureo !he ins!rumen!'

8ne o !he earlies! occurences o !he euphonium in orches!ral music $as in Dichar%S!rauss 0Con ui/o!e0# in *?96 )!his $as also !he rs! !ime !ha! a mu!e ha% "eenas3e% or+ an% soon a !er !his# Aahler use% a euphonium in his 7!h S&mphon&'

o$ever# !he ins!rumen! is s!ill no! $i%el& recognise% in !he orches!ral me%ium'

Cevelopmen! remaine% ra!her s!agnan! !hroughou! !he rs! hal o !he 2@!hcen!ur "u! since *97@ !here has "een a grea! increase in %evelopmen! oreper!oire an% a grea!er pu"lic pro le has "een raise%' Boun%aries are "eing pushe%"ac3 all !he !ime# "u! !here is s!ill a long $a& !o go in achieving ull recogni!ion o!he ins!rumen! s po!en!ial'

roves Ausic Cic!ionar&0 is!orical Cevelopmen! o !he Euphonium an% Bari!one0 Ai3e S!e!cher0; Brie is!or& o !he Euphonium an% Bari!one00You Pla& a ha!F0 Brian Bo$man

Genni er Polloc3euph"assHho!mail'comas! Up%a!e% ;ugus! *999