The Bellophone

[bisontuba]

Now in its new home at The Met...

http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/of-note/ ... -christmas" target="_blank

[bort]

Neat!

Glad that never caught on, what a freak of an instrument!

[enewberger]

The curator of historic brass instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, just published a gorgeous photo of this King double tuba and a timely tribute to my revered teacher, William Bell, who commissioned its construction by the H.N.White Company. Bell inspired Harvey Phillips to start the TubaChristmas tradition in his memory. He transformed Harvey's life and mine.
Because Mr. Bell's massive contribution to tuba performance took place in New York City, from the NBC Symphony under Arturo Toscanini, who recruited him from Cincinnati, to the New York Philharmonic and many other ensembles, Carolyn and I decided to donate the instrument to the Met.
Next year, as a glowing and permanent tribute to his memory, it will ascend to pride of place in the Museum's refurbished musical instrument gallery, welcoming visitors from a balcony on high.

http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/of-note/ ... -christmas" target="_blank" target="_blank

Merry Tuba Christmas!

Eli

[tubapix]

Nice donation sir! Very cool instrument and history. Are there any recordings of it?

[Three Valves]

It only has to sound half as good as it looks!!

[enewberger]

Not to my knowledge . . .

[bisontuba]

The curator of historic brass instruments at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, just published a gorgeous photo of this King double tuba and a timely tribute to my revered teacher, William Bell, who commissioned its construction by the H.N.White Company. Bell inspired Harvey Phillips to start the TubaChristmas tradition in his memory. He transformed Harvey's life and mine.
Because Mr. Bell's massive contribution to tuba performance took place in New York City, from the NBC Symphony under Arturo Toscanini, who recruited him from Cincinnati, to the New York Philharmonic and many other ensembles, Carolyn and I decided to donate the instrument to the Met.
Next year, as a glowing and permanent tribute to his memory, it will ascend to pride of place in the Museum's refurbished musical instrument gallery, welcoming visitors from a balcony on high.

http://www.metmuseum.org/blogs/of-note/ ... -christmas" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Merry Tuba Christmas!

Eli

Nice.....

[bort]

Neat!

Glad that never caught on, what a freak of an instrument!

Here's one for ya, borty!

Yo... now that's just crazy!

[tclements]

I WANT ONE!!

[WangZhiXian]

While those multi-bell instruments look cool, I think we need a translation from the German for them: The mouthpiece does not look fit for a brass embouchure.

At this moment (without translation) they look like a dada-surrealist riff on brass instruments

[imperialbari]

Long pistons with 2 sets of passages?

Are there photos of the intended mouthpiece?

Klaus

[imperialbari]

What disturbs me the most about the Schalmeien bands of the former GDR area, is that they appear being popular.

https://youtu.be/DeqMG8k0FOw

[Three Valves]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLzMCPGno98" target="_blank" target="_blank

Check out the massive four barrel helicon-like one in this vid!!

What will those Germans think of next??

[imperialbari]

Yes, the helicon shaped bass, like the upright equivalent, has 4 notes for playing in C major: C, G, B natural, and D.

The harmony instruments have 5 notes to play 2 triads: C, E, & G, or G. B, & D.

The melody instruments have 8 notes for a C major scale. or 15 notes for playing in octaves with themselves.

There also are 8-note tenor instruments.

They try to camouflage the musical limitations of the Schalmeien by means of all that very loud drumming. in vane.

Klaus

[imperialbari]

Yes, the helicon shaped bass, like the upright equivalent, has 4 notes for playing in C major: C, G, B natural, and D.

The harmony instruments have 5 notes to play 2 triads: C, E, & G, or G. B, & D.

The melody instruments have 8 notes for a C major scale. or 15 notes for playing in octaves with themselves.

There also are 8-note tenor instruments.

They try to camouflage the musical limitations of the Schalmeien by means of all that very loud drumming. in vane.

Klaus

[Three Valves]

Only four loud notes to learn??

Lots of loud drumming??

So it's just like Pep Band!!

[Uncle Markie]

Hi Eli -

Thanks for donating this unique instrument where it can be seen by the public. Too many instruments remain unseen in private collections. Since the Bellophone is the only one ever made your gift is especially valuable. We've lost something since the days when H.N.White (and later Mrs. White) would have the sense of humor to shut down part of a factory to make something unique - mostly for fun.

It is right up there with "Big Joe the Tuba" (still in use once in a while), the horizontal tuba from Vincent Lopez' orchestra (no idea where THAT horn ended up) and other oddities like the King Pit Orchestra tuba. Back when it benefitted musicians to be "different"!

Mark Heter