Serpent Poll

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:30 am

I think that they are terribly interesting and if I had more money I would have to think seriously about getting one. I only have 2 problems blocking me from getting one though...1) Money. I ain't got none. 2) I am having a bugger of a time finding a serpent method book.

I can't seem to find helpful info about how to actually play one.

Other than those 2 reasons, I am on board with the idea. I wish you the best of luck with the serpent business. As the good book says "They shall take up serpents..." Mark 16:18

Sou

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 11:48 am

I've used a bass recorder and even a bass crumhorn for early music (you've got big hands, you can play THIS one!), and I think that if more people with bass ears used them, this COULD work out really well!

trseaman · Post by **trseaman** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 12:41 pm

I'm not a big fan of the serpent... Some guy brought one into practice a few months ago and I was less than impressed with the sound. I don't know, maybe it was just him!!!

Having said that! That is an amazing looking instrument you have on Ebay! One has to admire your quality workmanship on all levels...

Great Job, Tim

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 1:21 pm

Of course, the main impetus for the invention of the tuba was the dissatisfaction with the tone of the serpent. That said, just as with any musical period, the availability of authentic contemporary instruments to remind ourselves what the music sounded like is absolutely necessary, and is a great change of pace to broaden the hearing palette as well as education for education's sake.

Yes, I could say those who don't learn their history are doomed to repeat it, but that's too cynical. Just as the harpsichord, keyed trumpet, natural trumpet, krummhorns, etc., were reawakened and new works were written for such "archaic" instruments during the baroque revival, and just as pipe organ manufacturers came back full circle to tracker action as most appropriate for certain instruments as opposed to all the digitized electro-pneumatics that had been the "state of the art," surely there is a niche out there for a refined serpent, if that is not an oxymoron!

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:19 pm

iiipopes wrote:surely there is a niche out there for a refined serpent, if that is not an oxymoron!

Are you implying that the "serpent poll" the author referred to in starting this thread was the 10 ft. pole required to touch one? ...

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 2:50 pm

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Tue Feb 13, 2007 6:28 pm

I don't know about all this adding keys, etc. to historic musical instruments. It seems too much like recapitulating instrument development: from serpent to ophicleide to tuba.

The very small amount of time I've spent trying to play one has made me appreciate its limitations, and therefore the limitations on its musical uses. One thing you have to do is hold back the few good notes, so they don't overshadow the rest of the notes.

I have heard serpents sound good doing their original job: supporting voices in Renaisance era choral singing. I think that a euphonium, gently played, could do as well. Perhaps we should consider the euponium the modern replacement for the church serpent.

Cheers,
Allen

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:47 pm

Very interesting posts, Russ. Now, if only I had more hours in the day...

We should mention Doug Yeo's web site; it has an interesting section on serpents:

http://www.yeodoug.com/articles/serpent/serpent.html

Cheers,
Allen

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Wed Feb 14, 2007 2:33 pm

perchance would this help? a picture is worth a thousand words

viewtopic.php?t=19656

TubeNet

Serpent Poll

My opinion of serpents is