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For the past few years, I've been doing research on the early history of the Sousaphone, and in the process have become great friends with the folks at J. W. Pepper. They are creating a documentary video on the original Sousaphone, which they built in 1895, and which features prominently in my upcoming article for the ITEA journal - as it should!

We took the historic horn out to Dillon Music (NJ) today to allow Steve Dillon and Matt Walters to examine the horn thoroughly and help us get it back into great playing shape (it will be featured in the Montgomery County Concert Band [PA] on Sunday, May 3rd for our 20th anniversary concert - 3pm at the Souderton Area High School auditorium; join us if you can!). We got some great video of the visit, and I'll post the link to the documentary once it is finished.

Steve and Matt were fabulous, and Matt (a.k.a. "the tuba whisperer") cleaned up the horn and got it sounding great - ready to join the band a week from this Sunday. Here they are . . .

Wait, that's the first one? Ever?

Very cool!

Indeed! You will notice it is a raincatcher. Sousa wanted the tone to be more upright tuba in color, coming up over the band, rather than being directional. It was Conn who just a couple years after this souzy was made by Pepper that gave the bell its front orientation for street and field marching instead of concertizing.

Oh, how I would love to play that souzy!

Indeed, the very first Sousaphone. Conn built his first one - also a "raincatcher" - in early 1898 (or perhaps late 1897), so a few years after Pepper built his. Conn introduced the bell-front version much later, in 1908.

Here is the announcement for the Pepper Sousaphone, from 1895:

Sounded great last night at rehearsal - we are featuring the horn on the four Sousa marches (duh!), as well as a dixieland piece. If you're near Philadelphia, join us for the concert on Sunday, May 3rd at 3pm at the Souderton Area High School auditorium. The Sousaphone will be out in the atrium after the concert for an up-close and personal look!

Dave Detwiler wrote:Sounded great last night at rehearsal - we are featuring the horn on the four Sousa marches (duh!), as well as a dixieland piece. If you're near Philadelphia, join us for the concert on Sunday, May 3rd at 3pm at the Souderton Area High School auditorium. The Sousaphone will be out in the atrium after the concert for an up-close and personal look!

Terrific !!!!
Mark

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Here's a photo of the horn in action at rehearsal last night for the dixieland piece:

Where is this horn's permanent home?

Permanent home is the J. W. Pepper company in Exton, PA. However, it has been out and about lately - most recently it was on loan to the Museum of Making Music (NAMM Museum) in Carlsbad, CA. But it is home for the time being (or it will be after Sunday's concert!).