Posted by Klaus$ on June 18, 2002 at 08:21:49:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Ewald 1st Quintet- Instrumentation posted by Bryan on June 18, 2002 at 01:37:51:
There are no true versions of any instrument type!
There are lot of versions, that claim to be true in each their geographical area! (With the widespread use of the Mira 186 CC in the US being a genuine object for doctoral dissertations on socio-economy and socio- psychiatry. With the musical qualities of US-type 4P and 4P+1R type BBb and CC tubas, their only rivals really should be 3+1 comp tubas).
As for alto horns there are several national versions. In my country the version at the time of my upstart on brass back in 1960 was the rotary Eb valve trombone. Alternatives at that time were the egg rotor (pictured, also coming in a straight belled version), the pistoned mellophone, and, rarely, the Brit derivate of the original (Adophe) Saxhorn en Mi bemol.
Back then the weakness of the Eb Saxhorn was its ridiculously narrow bore of .433 or so. Which partially has been remedied by the Sovereign (and Yamaha?) models of around .465.
The egg rotaries in Eb had a more appealing bore of around .472 and a much more appealing, that is larger, bell/throat volume. I would acquire such an instrument as soon as it came at the right price and with a wrap of the 3rd valve loop, that allowed for sufficient pitch adjustments. Actually I have been in negotiations with a factory about that. But they wanted me to come and stay with them for a week or more, while they made one for me. Go figure the costs! I would play such an instrument on the DW 7C, that I use for my alto bones.
So I have had to settle with my present altos: a Martin mello (one of my worst eBay buys ever, out of a "prestigious" US brass house manned with minor minds (I am corruptable: send me the 4 dozens of Blue Juice, that would cover my repair costs and I will stop mentioning this matter)) and a Courtois .447 piston. And then there are the 5 Frenchies, which of course have different characters no matter whether they are G descants, Bb/F doubles, or F, A, Bb singles coming out of as disparate makers as Alexander, Conn, Hoyer, or Wiener Hornmanufaktur.
Have I put my views on the edge? All opinions should be there in serious discussions. Serious negotiations, however, would call for more moderation.
Klaus