Euphonium

The euphonium is a special kind of brass instrument that belongs to the same family as the trumpet and tuba. It is pitched in B♭, which means it sounds one octave lower than a trumpet. People often use the euphonium in brass bands, military bands, and concert bands. Like all brass instruments, the euphonium makes sound when a player buzzes their lips into a mouthpiece.

Most euphoniums have four valves that help change the pitch of the notes. These valves can be piston valves or rotary valves, depending on where in the world the instrument is used. The euphonium has a wide, conical shape inside, which gives it its unique sound.

Music for the euphonium can be written in different ways. Sometimes it is written in bass clef, and other times in treble clef. In British brass bands, it is usually written in treble clef, while in American band music, it might be written in either clef or both. A person who plays the euphonium is called a euphoniumist, a euphonist, or simply a euphonium player.

Name

The euphonium gets its name from an Ancient Greek word that means "pleasant-sounding" or "sweet-voiced".

The euphonium is part of a big family of instruments called valved bugles. It has relatives like the baritone horn, which is found in British brass bands. Though similar, the baritone horn has a narrower conical bore, a smaller bell, and often lacks a fourth valve. In America, there is also the American baritone, which has three valves and a curved bell. This instrument was very popular in American school marching bands during much of the 20th century. Sometimes, people called the euphonium and similar instruments just "baritone", which can be confusing.

The euphonium is also known as the tenor tuba, especially in Britain, though this name can refer to other types of tuba as well. It has many names in different languages. In France, it can be called basse, saxhorn basse, or tuba basse; in Germany, Baryton, Tenorbass, or Tenorbasshorn; and in Italy, baritono, bombardino, eufonio, or flicorno basso. In Italy, flicorno tenore refers to a narrower baritone, while flicorno baritono and flicorno basso refer to the euphonium.

By the 1890s, American euphoniums were sometimes called the B♭ bass. In the 1930s, American drum and bugle corps used an instrument called the baritone bugle in G with one valve, but by the end of the 1960s, a euphonium bugle with a wider bore had taken its place.

History

The euphonium has a long history connected to the tuba. Before valves were invented in the 1820s, brass instruments either used a single harmonic series like the natural trumpet, a slide like the trombone, or keys and tone holes like the serpent. None of these were perfect for low-pitched brass instruments.

The euphonium’s roots partly come from the ophicleide, a brass instrument developed in 1817 by Jean Hilaire Asté. It improved on the serpent by using keys and larger tone holes. The ophicleide was used in French and British military bands, orchestras, and brass bands for many years, even after valves were invented.

The invention of valves changed brass instruments. Valves allowed for even sound and easier playing in all ranges. This, along with advances in manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution, led to big changes in brass instrument design in the 19th century.

In the 1830s and 1840s, several instruments appeared that look like today’s euphonium. In Vienna, valves were added to the ophicleide. In Italy, Giuseppe Pelitti made instruments called bombardini. In 1843, Ferdinand Sommer made the Sommerophone, later called the Euphonion. Around the same time, Adolphe Sax invented the saxhorns. The bass saxhorn in B♭ is considered the earliest modern euphonium.

Adolphe Sax’s saxhorns became popular in Britain and the United States, helped by the Distin family. In Austria-Hungary, Václav František Červený made the Baroxyton and later the Kaiserbaryton, which became the standard shape for euphoniums in central and eastern Europe.

Modern euphoniums developed with better timbre and easier playing. The “British-style” compensating euphonium was developed in the 1870s by David Blaikley. Modern makers have made small improvements to valve tubing and added features like triggers for the tuning slide.

Construction

Euphoniums are tuned to 9-foot (9′) B♭, which is an octave below the trumpet or cornet. They use a mouthpiece similar to those used on the ophicleide or bass trombone. Without using the valves, the euphonium produces notes from the B♭ harmonic series using its 9 feet (2.7 metres) of tubing.

The euphonium has a wide conical bore that gets larger along its length, except for the cylindrical parts where the valves are. This bore size ranges from 14.3 to 16.6 millimetres (.563 to .654 in) at the first valve, and the bell is between 250 to 300 mm (10 to 12 in). Like the flugelhorn and tuba, this conical shape gives the euphonium a softer sound compared to instruments like the trumpet or trombone.

Euphoniums usually have three main valves played with the first three fingers of the right hand, plus a fourth valve near the middle of the right side played with the left index or middle finger. The fourth valve often helps fix tuning problems below E₂. In European models with rotary valves, the valves are operated by the right hand and may not correct tuning as well; some have a fifth valve for different tuning options. Beginner models might only have three valves, while some intermediate models include a fourth valve next to the other three.

Compensating valves

Modern compensating euphoniums use four valves. The fourth valve’s tubing goes back through the other three valves, adding small loops to fix tuning in the lower range from E₂ down to B₁.

Less commonly, some older three-valve compensating euphoniums route the third valve’s tubing through loops on the other two valves. This helps correct tuning for C₃ and B₂. This system is also used on some three-valve British-style baritone horns.

Types

Double bell euphonium

Main article: Double bell euphonium

The double bell euphonium was first made in 1847 by an Italian maker. It became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. This special euphonium had two bells—a main one and a smaller one. Players could switch between the bells for certain notes using an extra valve. The smaller bell was designed to sound like a trombone. Famous bands introduced it to the U.S. in the late 1800s, and it was used in school and service bands until the 1960s. Today, these euphoniums are rare but remembered in a song called "Seventy-Six Trombones" from the musical The Music Man.

Five-valved euphonium

In Britain, some euphoniums were made with five valves in the late 1800s and early 1900s. These valves helped improve the sound and were cheaper to make than more complex ones, but they didn’t catch on widely. The valves were arranged in a specific way on these euphoniums.

In central and eastern Europe, euphoniums often have a different kind of valve and an oval shape. Some makers there produce models with five of these special valves.

Marching euphonium

Euphoniums with a horizontal bell are used in marching bands. These marching euphoniums usually have three valves instead of four to keep them lighter. They are made by companies such as B.A.C. Music, Eastman, Jupiter, King, and Yamaha, as well as some Chinese brands.

In American drum and bugle corps, a special euphonium bugle was introduced in the mid-1960s. It was pitched lower and had two valves. These were made by American companies like Olds, King, Conn, and Kanstul. Whether a drum corps uses marching euphoniums, marching baritones, or both depends on what the arranger prefers. In mixes, euphoniums usually play the lower notes, while baritones play the higher ones.

Repertoire

The euphonium has a rich collection of music that started in the mid-1800s. Early pieces were changes of popular songs, like Jean-Baptiste Arban’s work from 1864. The first music made just for euphonium was written in 1872 by Amilcare Ponchielli. From around 1880 to 1920, the euphonium became a key part of bands, with famous band leaders like John Philip Sousa and Arthur Pryor helping to grow its music.

Since the mid-1900s, many composers from America, Germany, Scandinavia, and Britain have written special pieces for the euphonium, including hard-to-play solos with bands or orchestras. Even without a band, the euphonium has music too, with new pieces written just for it thanks to groups like the International Tuba Euphonium Association.

Though mostly used in bands, the euphonium sometimes appears in big orchestras. It was used in famous pieces like Don Quixote and Ein Heldenleben by Richard Strauss, and The Planets by Gustav Holst. Other composers like Leoš Janáček and Dmitri Shostakovich also used it. However, it is not a regular part of big orchestras, often taking the place of other instruments in older pieces.

Performance

The euphonium is mainly used in bands, especially military and concert bands, where professional players often have full-time positions. Despite this, many new players are learning the instrument, helped by the growing popularity of British-style brass bands. These bands have lots of music that shows off the euphonium's skill and beautiful sound.

The euphonium can be played by the same person as the cornet or baritone horn, with just a little adjustment in breathing and lip position, because they all have similar ranges and fingerings.

Notation

In British brass bands, most instruments, except the bass trombone, use treble clef notes, a style started in France by Adolphe Sax. This means the euphonium, along with tenor trombones and baritones, sounds a major ninth lower than written, similar to the tenor saxophone and bass clarinet.

In orchestras, concert bands, and US military bands, the euphonium is usually written at concert pitch using bass clef, like the orchestral trombone. Sometimes, high notes are written in tenor clef. Concert band music often gives euphonium parts in both bass and B♭ treble clef to suit different players. In some European band music, euphonium parts are written in B♭ bass clef, sounding a major second lower than written.

Range

The euphonium can play a large range of notes, at least four octaves. It can easily play from E₂ to about G₄, but can go lower and higher with special techniques. The lowest notes depend on the instrument's valves. Most can play down to E₂, and some with four valves can go to C₂. Modern instruments with special valves can play even lower notes.

Notable players

Main article: List of euphonium players

Early players include Alfred James Phasey, Simone Mantia, Irineu de Almeida, and Art Lehman. Ferdinand Sommer toured Europe with his orchestra to show off the Sommerophone, which he later called the Euphonion. Alfred James Phasey was known for playing the ophicleide but switched to euphonium and became famous for it.

In Brazil, Irineu de Almeida was a key musician and teacher of Choro music, playing ophicleide and bombardino (euphonium). He and his student Pixinguinha helped make Choro music and its instruments popular.

In the United States, Simone Mantia, born in Italy, toured with famous bands and made early solo recordings for euphonium, helping make the instrument popular. Leonard Falcone, also from Italy, taught many euphonium players at Michigan State University. The Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Festival was started in his honor.

Arthur Lehman, who played with the United States Marine Band, was an early user of the double bell euphonium and wrote a book about playing the instrument. Brian Bowman, who played with the United States Navy Band and United States Air Force Band, taught at the University of North Texas and helped update a famous method book for euphonium. In Japan, Toru Miura helped start the International Tuba Euphonium Association and taught at Kunitachi College of Music.

In the late 20th century, players like Steven Mead from England helped advance the British euphonium sound and have recorded many modern works. David Thornton, a student of Mead, has won competitions and recorded many pieces. The Childs brothers, Robert and Nicholas, have also recorded and helped create new works for euphonium. David's son, David Childs, is a soloist and teacher at the University of North Texas.

In jazz, Rich Matteson and Kiane Zawadi were among the few to use euphonium as soloists. Matteson started a big band called the Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort with tuba player Harvey Phillips. Some trombone players have also used euphonium, like Gus Mancuso, Bill Reichenbach, and John Allred.

In popular music, New Zealand's Don McGlashan started as an orchestral horn player before using euphonium in bands like Blam Blam Blam and The Mutton Birds.

In popular culture

In Japan, there is a popular series of books called Sound! Euphonium about a student who plays the euphonium in her high school concert band. These books have been turned into comic books, an animated TV series, and have been translated into English.

There is also a special musical instrument and art display called the Loophonium. It was built in 1960 by a musician and artist from Liverpool named Fritz Spiegl, and it is kept at the Walker Art Gallery.