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Re: Mellophones

To: <brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Mellophones
From: Tom Warner <tom@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 11:21:32 +0100
In-reply-to: <38F8EAF8.376A36C6@iol.ie>
Priority: low
Reply-to: brass-band@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
User-agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.02.2022

on 15/4/00 11:19 pm, William Dee at wpdee@xxxxxx wrote:

>> What ever happened to those wonderful inventions and why did they not
>> catch on?
>
> Far from it. They're replacing french horns in marching bands,

I think you'll find that the 'mellophone' used most frequently in todays
(American) marching bands are closer to what were originally called
'mellophoniums'. They were invented (developed?) by Stan Kenton and Conn for
Stan's version of West Side Story (a classic BTW) in the early sixties. You
can see these beasts here:

http://www.i2k.com/~nwedder/mellophonium.htm

These are bell front instruments held like a cornet or flugel. Most if not
all marching brass (in America) is bell front. There are even basses that
are convertible by changing the lead pipe and valve position so that they
can be carried on the shoulder and played like a valve trombone. They look
like hard work to me.

There are also marching baritones, euphoniums and french horns that are bell
front with piston valves and again, held like a cornet or flugel.

You can see a full range of these instruments at the Kanstul website:

http://members.aol.com/kanstulmus/marchingbrass/marching/marching.html

Sorry if I've bored anyone (no pun intended)

All the best,
Tom

--

References:
- Re: Mellophones
  - From: William Dee

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