Double-belled euphonium, nominal pitch: B♭

Buescher

Alternative Title

Double-belled euphonium.

Instrument

Euphonium

Instrument Family

Wind

Maker

Buescher

Place Made

Elkhart; North America; United States of America

Date Made

Circa 1913

Description

4 valves + bell change. Technical description: Silver-plated brass. Large bell fixed and directed upwards; small bell detachable and rotatable with ligature fixing, angled at nearly 90° from upwards. Water-keys on 2nd & 4th v.t.s. and on both m.t.s. Fitting for music card holder. Loop for R thumb. Two loops for carriage strap. Valve type: 4 Périnet valves, 5th valve Périnet-type; bottom sprung, with circular ports; alignment by key on piston, groove on casing bore. Overall size: 638; bells 176 and 305. Sounding length: minimum to small bell, 2802; minimum to large bell, 2693. Bore: mouthpipe at c 55mm from mouthpiece receiver (minimum bore) 11.5; centre of 3 valve cluster at c 360mm from mouthpiece receiver, v.t.s. bore (2,1,3) 14.5; centre of 2 valve cluster at c 678mm from mouthpiece receiver, v.t.s. bore (4,5) 14.5. Small bell m.t.s. at c 1078mm and at c 1153mm from mouthpiece receiver, tuning slide bore, 14.5; 1401mm from small bell end, c 14.6; c 482mm from small bell end, 20.6. B = 0.68 (small bell). Large bell m.t.s. at c 806mm from mouthpiece receiver, tuning slide bore 16.6; m.t.s. at c 967mm from mouthpiece receiver, tuning slide bore 18.6; 1346mm from large bell end, c 25.9; c 1165mm from large bell end, 36.6. B = 0.42 (large bell). Dia of mouthpiece receiver: m.r.t. 12.8 - 11.9. Performance characteristics: Distinct contrast in tone quality between bells. Decorative features: Mother-of-pearl buttons, foliage pattern around inscription on bell. Inscribed on large bell "THE / Buescher / ELKHART / IND."; on side of valve casings "1", "2", "3", "4", "5"; on side of 2nd valve casing "CURTABEL" / "MPD / P.I.U" within shield / "20342". With fitted case. Performance characteristics: Distinct contrast in tone quality between bells. Purchased by lender with mouthpiece (3490). Illustration references: World Wide Web picture at http://www.music.ed.ac.uk/euchmi/

Notes

R. Parks 20.4.96; C. Bevan 3.10.99.

Measurements

638; bells 176 and 305.

Provenance

ex- Trevor Picken collection.; on loan to the Collection.

Collection

MIMEd

Accession Number

3489