misc. Besson euphonium factoid

[imperialbari]

This was announced well ahead of the change date. The first generation Sovereign instruments had been out on the market a few years already by then. The Sovereign euphs always came with large receivers.

My own then teacher Ole Engler, late solo trombone of our RSO, bought the Imperial euphonium during the early summer of 1974, because he preferred the 11" bell over the 12" bell of the then Sovereign (which came in 3+1P and in 3TP configurations). Other Danish players did the same until the 11" eventually was issued. The Imperial line became the 700 line, and the compensating euphs were taken out of that line, first the 3+1P, later on also the 3TP. The last new 3 valve compensating euphonium I saw, was sold to a Salvation Army in Copenhagen around Christmas 1993. I had rejected that euph myself, but only because I wanted a valved alternative to my bassbones. I had the Conn 26K already, but didn’t play it for real.

While we waited for the adjudicators’ voting during the 1978 European Championship for brass bands held in Royal Albert Hall of London, the Hendon Band, said to be the only professional brass band back then, did a show, which had some elements I still remember. It was the first time I heard a brass band attempting playing like a big band and having their lead cornet doing improvised solos. They did The Stars and Stripes march not with their Eb cornet doing the piccolo solo. No their tympani player whistled it, while smashing his cymbals in front of the band. Weird. And their solo euph soloed in Grandfather’s Clock. He had been the featured test rider during the development of the Sovereign euphs. The funny thing was that he in 1978 still performed on an Imperial euph, easily recognizeable from its frosted silver plating.

Klaus

[pgym]

I found a factory-placed card in the case with an older (c. 1977) Besson compensating euphonium that stated that as of 1974, Besson euphoniums were being manufactured with large shank receivers and that an adapter for English shank mouthpieces would be included with the instruments.

...so, If your Besson euphonium has a large shank receiver, that obviously means that it was made after 1973.

Not necessarily: B&H/Besson stopped manufacturing Euro-shank Imperials/New Standards and Regents in April 1974, so if your B&H Imperial/Besson New Standard euph has a large shank (and it hasn't been converted to large shank post-manufacture), it was made after 1973, however, if you have a Sovereign, all bets are off since the Sovereign, which was introduced in 1972, was large shank from the get-go.

[pgym]

[To the best of my knowledge, Selmer U.S.A. did not import/distribute the "Sovereign" model in the U.S...only a hybrid version of the "Imperial" model (which was engraved "Besson" for U.S. consumption).

B&H Sovereigns most definitely WERE imported into the US prior to 1974, as the Cal Band purchased two of them from C. Bruno and Sons in 1972, and when my folks were getting ready to buy me a comp euph in the spring 1973, William Revelli recommended that they by a Sovereign rather than an Imperial.