Conn Mellophonium in F

[Liberty Mo]

Legend has it that Stan Kenton and his writer Johnny Richards were working at Indiana University in the early 60s. Kenton was in the experimental phase and was looking for a sound to expand the color of his band. He had tried flugel horns and Eb Trumpets, but did not like the sound.

Supposedly, Kenton and Richards were drunk, stole a Mellophone from the IU band room, cut it with a saw, and a prototype of the Mellophonium was born. They gave it to the Conn R&D guy who was at IU for a music camp, Conn developed a few prototypes, and the Neophonic Orchestra was born.

These things were legendary in the Kenton history because of many bad reasons. They were out of tune, the majority of the musicians who ran through the section during the 60s could not properly adapt them to the Jazz genre, and the other sections hated them. There are stories from guys in the band about yelling, cursing, and even fights breaking out over the use of these things. Eventually they were phased out. The Mellophonium was marketed by Conn to marching bands as an alternative to the French Horn or Mellophone but never really caught on.

From everything I have read, the instrument really amounted to a bad idea, hence its current state of no longer being made or used in ensembles, especially Jazz. I am sure that I left some details out, but generally, I think thats what the accepted truth is.

Check out Kenton's Horns o' Plenty if you would like to hear the Mellophonium sound....

[manatee]

And I guarantee you, show up playing one of these and people will talk to you. Great conversation starter, but they do play out of tune even with the best at the helm.