Alto Saxhorn in E-flat
Alto saxhorn in E-flat with three Berlin valves. Saxhorns are a family of valved brass instruments developed by Adolphe Sax in the mid-nineteenth century. His design was copied by numerous rival makers.Saxhorns were widely used in military and civilian bands and are the forebears of the modern euphonium, tenor horn and baritone. Saxhorns were designed as a uniform family of instruments with members ranging from soprano to contrabass. All shared a simililar tubing layout, bore profile and valve system. As a result, all members of the family produced a similar timbre, or tone color, across their range and because the fingering was the same on each instrument, players could easily switch between various members of the saxhorn family.
Artwork Details
- Title: Alto Saxhorn in E-flat
- Date: ca. 1850–60
- Geography: France?
- Culture: possibly French
- Medium: Brass, nickel-silver
- Dimensions: L. 64.4 cm (25-3/8 in.); Diam. of bell: 19.1 cm (7-1/2 in.)
- Classification: Aerophone-Lip Vibrated
- Credit Line: The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889
- Object Number: 89.4.2177
- Curatorial Department: Musical Instruments
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