.jpg) Contrabass sarrusophone in E♭ | |
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| Classification | |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 422.112 (Double reedaerophone with keys) |
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| Developed | Mid 19th century |
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Historical:
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| Sarrusophones: | |
Thecontrabass sarrusophone is the deepest of the family ofsarrusophones, built in three sizes pitched in E♭, C or B♭. It was made in the 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily in France by its inventor andParisian instrument makerPierre-Louis Gautrot and his successorCouesnon & Co. [fr], andEvette & Schaeffer. It was also made in Italy by Milan manufacturersRomeo Orsi and Rampone & Cazzani, and in the United States byC. G. Conn, who built instruments in E♭ for USmilitary bands.[1] Romeo Orsi and the German instrument makerBenedikt Eppelsheim make individual contrabass sarrusophones on request.[2][3]
The EE♭ sarrusophone has the tone of a reedycontrabass saxophone, while the CC sarrusophone sounds much like thecontrabassoon. The BB♭ contrabass sarrusophone is the lowest of the sarrusophones, and was the lowest-pitched wind instrument until the invention of the EEE♭octocontra-alto and the BBB♭octocontrabass clarinets, and the BB♭subcontrabass tubax. Contrabass sarrusophones come in two bore widths: big pipes, which sound mellower and softer, but are still reedy; and small pipes, which are extremely reedy.[4]
The EE♭ and BB♭ sarrusophones aretransposing instruments.
The contrabass sarrusophone is sometimes confused with thereed contrabass, to which it bears a superficial resemblance.
Contrabass sarrusophones take rather large reeds; they are larger thancontrabassoon reeds. This leads to most people making their own reeds (as is the practice of most oboe and bassoon players). Contrabass sarrusophone reeds are still manufactured by Vandoren. Sarrusophones are traditionally played with a double reed, but single reed mouthpieces have also been used. These mouthpieces are similar in size to soprano or alto saxophone mouthpieces.
Contrabass sarrusophones are comparatively light for contrabass instruments, weighing only about as much as abaritone saxophone, and being approximately four feet tall, about the same height as abass saxophone. This makes them more convenient to hold, play and transport.
The sarrusophone is rarely scored in classical music today, but there are a few examples. Pieces written for it includePercy Grainger'sOver the Hills and Far Away,Paderewski's "Polonia" Symphony in B minor, which called for three E♭ contrabass sarrusophone players,Maurice Ravel'sRapsodie Espagnole,Sheherazade andL'heure espagnole, andArrigo Boito'sNerone.Paul Dukas also used it in his orchestraltone poemThe Sorcerer's Apprentice.Claude Debussy includes the C instrument inJeux, as doesFrederick Delius inEventyr,Songs of Sunset, and hisRequiem.Jules Massenet writes for it inEsclarmonde. The instrument is given notable solos inArnold Bax'sSymphony No. 1, written in 1921–22.Igor Stravinsky's first fullyserial work,Threni (1958), a symphonic/choral setting of passages from the LatinVulgate of theBook of Lamentations, includes a sarrusophone in its unusual scoring, which also features a soloFlugelhorn. American composerBarney Childs composed a chamber work,The Golden Bubble (1967), for E♭ contrabass sarrusophone and one percussionist.Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji frequently utilized the contrabass sarrusophone, calling for it in his 1st, 4th, and 8th piano concertos,Opus clavisymphonicum for piano and orchestra, his two symphonies, and theMessa grande sinfonica.[5]
The song "Mandy Make Up Your Mind" recorded in 1924 withClarence Williams andLouis Armstrong features an extended solo bySidney Bechet on EE♭ Contrabass Sarrussophone and continues to feature him for approximately the last half of the song.[6] OnFrank Kimbrough’s 2018 albumMonk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere MonkScott Robinson plays contrabass sarrusophone on the tracks “Misterioso” and “Straight No Chaser”.[7]
Media related toContrabass sarrusophones at Wikimedia Commons