Tuba Tuesday: Gautrot ophicleide

[bisontuba]

Happy Tuba Tuesday!

In today’s edition, from the Museum, we’re featuring one of the valveless instruments in the entire collection. It is our Gautrot ophicleide from circa 1860. The ophicleide was the final type of keyed bass brass instrument and was popular from its inception in 1817 up to the beginning of the 20th century, even though the valved bass tuba was invented in 1835. The ophicleide was especially popular in France, where it lasted into the 20th century.

https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... phicleide/

[groovlow]

[media]<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IrHJTvMfXvw" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>/media]

Would Berlioz love a modern tuba?
Absolutely!
Would Berlioz have written differently for a modern tuba?
Absolutely!

The more I listen to period correct instruments the more I enjoy the music.
Like a Time Machine eliminating electric bass and synth sub bass not to mention amplifiers.
Joe "@ the disco" H :)

[hrender]

Would Berlioz love a modern tuba?
Absolutely!
Would Berlioz have written differently for a modern tuba?
Absolutely!

The more I listen to period correct instruments the more I enjoy the music.
Like a Time Machine eliminating electric bass and synth sub bass not to mention amplifiers.
Joe "@ the disco" H :)

I really like this clip.

[iiipopes]

[media]<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IrHJTvMfXvw" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>/media]

Would Berlioz love a modern tuba?
Absolutely!
Would Berlioz have written differently for a modern tuba?
Absolutely!

The more I listen to period correct instruments the more I enjoy the music.
Like a Time Machine eliminating electric bass and synth sub bass not to mention amplifiers.
Joe "@ the disco" H :)

Berlioz lived in the time of transition when serpents, ophicleides, and tubas were all used. And Berlioz from time to time would either assent to tubas or even rescore for them. "AN ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF THE SAXHORN BASSE (FRENCH TUBA) IN THE MODERN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA," Carl Kleinsteuber, B.M., M.M. Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS May 2017

https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67 ... N-2017.pdf

"Although Berlioz used the ophicleide and serpent for musico-dramaturgical effect, he was also enough of a pragmatist to want his music played as well as possible. In the example of Symphonie Fantastique, the autograph score was written for one ophicleide and one serpent in unison almost the entire time, but the first published score was changed to two ophicleide parts. In the end, he finally agreed to the use of tubas as effective substitutes for the ophicleides. In fact, Bevan writes “[music critic Henri] Lavoix mentions that the collection of autograph scores at the Bibliothèque Nationale shows Berlioz’s replacement of ophicleides by tubas in almost every case. Where Berlioz did not make the alteration, his publishers did.” During this period in France, “tuba” of course meant French tuba." pp 18-19. (footnotes omitted)

So Berlioz begrudgingly transitioned from ophicleide to tuba, on the same parts that in manuscript might be for serpent, ophicleide, serpent and ophicleide, or two ophicleides, Id. p 18, although Berlioz thought of the ophicleide as, "The truly barbaric tone of this instrument would be much better suited for the bloody cult of the Druids than for that of the Catholic church...." Id. p 18.

And so no, Berlioz did not write differently for serpent, ophicleide or tuba. He preferred ophicleide for its dramatic effect as much as anything else, but understood where music was going with regard to low brass.

[groovlow]

Let's go all the way Hector!
Gimme two additional lower brass parts
Bass Tuba and Contrabass tuba "modern"
Thanks for the reference citation iiipopes

[bloke]

I'm thinking that Gautrot (sort of) later became Couesnon.

[bisontuba]

I'm thinking that Gautrot (sort of) later became Couesnon.

From Horn-U-Copia:

..."In business from 1845-1885. Gautrot was a major litigant against Sax, which was finally decided in Saxs favor.

In 1875 registered trade names of Gautrot-Marquet, and Gautrot Aine. Firm was renamed Gautrot Aine-Durand et Cie in 1877. Couesnon became proprietors in 1883.

A.G. Guichard started in business in 1827. He was joined by his brother in law, P.L. Gautrot in 1835. They built the clavicor invented by Danays in 1839. Guichard was one of five makers who litigated against Sax. Gautrot became proprietor in 1845. The tradename of Guichard was continued be used by Gautrot and later by Couesnon when they took over Gautrot.

Sometimes for as much as ten years. Gautrot used the Guichard name, Durand maintained the association with Gautrot, Couesnon held on to the Gautrot name and so on. The company emblem would hark back as far as necessary to maintain the provenance. Thus the GA with an anchor covered both Guichard and Gautrot and was used by Couesnon for many years...."