DOCSLIB.ORG

Playing the Wagner Tuba

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Playing the Wagner Tuba A Handbook for Hornists John Ericson HNE 003 © Copyright 2007 Horn Notes Edition 674 East Maria Lane Tempe, AZ 85284 USA International Copyright Secured ISBN 978-0-9801030-2-1 CONTENTS Preface iii A Brief Introduction to the Wagner Tuba 1 Instruments 2 Holding the Instrument 2 Mouthpieces 3 Special Keys to Intonation 5 Notations 5 Mutes and Doubling 6 Richard Wagner 7 Götterdämmerung, Trauermusik beim Tode Siegfrieds Tuba tenor I and II in Eb 8 Tuba tenor I and II in F (transposed part) 10 Tuba bassa I and II in Bb basso 12 Tuba bassa I and II in F (transposed part) 14 Anton Bruckner 16 Complete parts for Symphony No. 7 Tenor tuba I in Bb alto 17 Tenor tuba I in F (transposed) 21 Tenor tuba II in Bb alto 25 Tenor tuba II in F (transposed) 29 Bass tuba I in F 33 Bass tuba II in F 37 Richard Strauss 41 Horn Notes Edition Excerpt from Eine Alpensymphonie Tenortuba I in Bb basso 42 Tenortuba I in F (transposed) 44 Tenortuba II in Bb basso 46 Tenortuba II in F (transposed) 48 Tenortuba III in F (basso) 50 Tenortuba III in F (transposed) 52 Tenortuba IV in F (basso) 54 Tenortuba IV in F (transposed) 56 Other Composers 57 Concluding Thoughts 58 Fingering Chart 59 Recent Resources 61 Index 62 Playing the Wagner Tuba Preface The Wagner tuba has long fascnated me. As a professonal, I have enjoyed opportuntes to perform on the Wagner tuba wth groups ncludng the Rochester Phlharmonc, the Indanapols Symphony, and the Phoenx Symphony, and I personally look forward to each new opportunty to perform on the Wagner tuba. Ths s not the usual reacton of many other horn players, however. The Wagner tuba can be an nstrument of mystery; t s rumored to be dffcult to master, and especally to play well (the parts are oddly notated, the ntonaton s very challengng, etc.). Whle t s tradton that Wagner tuba parts are assgned to talented, smart horn players whom management beleves wll fgure out how to play the nstrument, there s a better way than word of mouth and tral by fre. Ths publcaton attempts to brdge ths gap and s an expanson upon the materals I have regularly presented to advanced horn performance students at the college level. One general grammatcal note should be made at the outset. It s common n Englsh to call one or more Wagner tubas “tuben” or even to refer to several nstruments as “tubens.” However, “tuben” s the plural form of the word “tuba” n German, and for that reason the word “tuben” should be avoded n Englsh when referrng to a sngle nstrument, and “tubens” should always be avoded. It s my hope that through ths volume, more horn players wll learn to play the Wagner tuba well, perhaps entcng more composers to wrte for ths beautful nstrument. John Ercson Horn Notes Edition A Brief Introduction to the Wagner Tuba The Wagner tuba s a dstnct member of the brass famly and s performed by horn players. The bore of the Wagner tuba s mdway between that of the horn and the tuba and the nstrument utlzes a horn mouthpece. Ths tuba s constructed n an oval shaped tradtonal German euphonum pattern n two ptch lengths (tenor n Bb and bass n F); the bell emerges at a slght angle to the rght, and four valves are operated by the fngers of the left hand. Because of ts relatonshp to the horn, the Wagner tuba s sometmes referred to as a “horn tuba.” Bb Tenor and F Bass Wagner Tubas (Mirafone) Accordng to “Bayreuth tradton,” Wagner conceved the sound of ths tuba as beng solemn, dgnfed, and heroc. Most other composers who have utlzed the Wagner tuba have adopted ths tonal deal as well, wrtng most often for a quartet of nstruments generally utlzng the lower range, often n four-part harmony. If assgned to play Wagner tuba, the frst step s to acqure the nstrument and musc as early as possble. Problems you may face nclude readng an odd notaton n a bad key sgnature, odd fngerngs, strange ntonaton, mutes, and doublng. In professonal stuatons, management wll frequently pay for an extra sectonal rehearsal. Horn Notes Edition 1 Richard Wagner Although scholarshp has shown that the dea for an nstrument of ths general type s not orgnal to Wagner, Wagner assured contnued use and longevty through hs compostons. Wagner’s desre was for a new tonal color dstnct from that of the horn, trombone, and tuba. Wagner used a quartet of these small tubas extensvely n the Ring cycle of operas (Das Rheingold, Siegfried, Die Walküre, and Götterdämmerung, premered n 189, 180, 18, and 18, respectvely), wth the ffth and seventh horns doublng on the tenor n Bb and the sxth and eghth horns doublng on the bass n F. Wagner used three dfferent notatonal systems for the Wagner tuba. In Das Rheingold, completed n 185, he notates the tenor and bass tubas the same as for horns n Bb alto and n F, usng old notaton for bass clef as on the horn. In the prelude to Götterdämmerung, completed n 18, he notates the tubas n the same manner but one octave too hgh, that s, n Bb basso and n F basso. In the remander of Götterdämmerung, Die Walküre (completed n 185) and Siegfried (completed n 181), he notates the tenor tubas n Eb and the bass tubas n Bb basso. Hs note n the score asks for the parts to be wrtten out as for Das Rheingold but ths was not mplemented. From the angle of performance, t s easest to read the parts as transpostons to F. There are many passages that could be hghlghted among the works of Wagner for the Wagner tuba. Here follows a popular orchestral selecton from act three of Götterdämmerung, whch exhbts Wagner’s second notaton system, presented n the orgnal notaton and transposed to F. Horn Notes Edition 10 Playing the Wagner Tuba Anton Bruckner Other composers followed Wagner’s lead by utlzng the Wagner tuba n ther works. The frst sgnfcant and most performed works employng extended quartet passages are by Bruckner; he called for a quartet of Wagner tubas n hs Symphones No. , 8, and 9 (188, 1890, and 189). He wrote for tenors n Bb and basses n F n the same system of notaton used by Wagner n Das Rheingold or the prelude to Götterdämmerung, dependng on the edton. Also note that Bruckner requested the frst and second to play tenor tuba and the thrd and fourth to play bass. Ths arrangement s common n composers other than Wagner. Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony s an deal model for part wrtng for Wagner tuba. The range s very domatc; the challenges are prmarly ones of beng accustomed to the nstrument and readng the notated parts. The followng secton presents the complete Wagner tuba parts for Bruckner’s Symphony No. , along wth alternate transposed parts to F for the Bb tenors. Try to use the Bb parts f you can; they are mental challenges that can be won wth practce, much lke readng horn n H n the works of Brahms. 1 Playing the Wagner Tuba Horn Notes Edition 21.
Recommended publications
  • The Orchestra in History

    The Orchestra in History

    Jeremy Montagu The Orchestra in History The Orchestra in History A Lecture Series given in the late 1980s Jeremy Montagu © Jeremy Montagu 2017 Contents 1 The beginnings 1 2 The High Baroque 17 3 The Brandenburg Concertos 35 4 The Great Change 49 5 The Classical Period — Mozart & Haydn 69 6 Beethoven and Schubert 87 7 Berlioz and Wagner 105 8 Modern Times — The Age Of The Dinosaurs 125 Bibliography 147 v 1 The beginnings It is difficult to say when the history of the orchestra begins, be- cause of the question: where does the orchestra start? And even, what is an orchestra? Does the Morley Consort Lessons count as an orchestra? What about Gabrieli with a couple of brass choirs, or even four brass choirs, belting it out at each other across the nave of San Marco? Or the vast resources of the Striggio etc Royal Wedding and the Florentine Intermedii, which seem to have included the original four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie, or at least a group of musicians popping out of the pastry. I’m not sure that any of these count as orchestras. The Morley Consort Lessons are a chamber group playing at home; Gabrieli’s lot wasn’t really an orchestra; The Royal Wed- dings and so forth were a lot of small groups, of the usual renais- sance sorts, playing in turn. Where I am inclined to start is with the first major opera, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo. Even that tends to be the usual renaissance groups taking turn about, but they are all there in a coherent dra- matic structure, and they certainly add up to an orchestra.
  • Funderburk, Jeff, "The Man and His Horn", T.U.B.A. JOURNAL May, 1988 P 43

    Funderburk, Jeff, "The Man and His Horn", T.U.B.A. JOURNAL May, 1988 P 43

    Funderburk, Jeff, "The Man and his Horn", T.U.B.A. JOURNAL May, 1988 p 43 This fabulous tuba was reportedly designed by Bill Johnson, design engineer for the J.W. York Band Instrument Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan. According to the story, Leopold Stokowski, conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra in the 1930s, approached the orchestra's tubist, Phillip Donatelli, and requested that he obtain a tuba that would provide a true organ like quality to the bass register of the orchestra. Mr. Donatelli consulted with the York Instrument Company, a firm noted for excellent tubas. Two instruments pitched in CC were built to order. These incorporated a medium-large piston valve section (larger than any built today!) and a large bore rotary fifth valve into the body of a Kaiser tuba with a 20-inch bell diameter. As fate would have it, Mr. Donatelli did not feel comfortable with these instruments. One reason for this was the very short leadpipe used on the instruments. Mr. Donatelli was overweight to the point that when he breathed, the instrument was forced away from him. There was no room on the chair for the two of them! Consequently, the instruments were sold. One instrument was sold to Arnold Jacobs, a student at Curtis Institute, for the price of $175, to be paid off at a rate of $5 per week. Mr. Jacobs and his tuba were so well liked by the orchestra director at the Curtis Institute - Fritz Reiner - that a limousine was sent on rehearsal days to collect the two of them from home.
  • Tutti Brassi

    Tutti Brassi

    Tutti Brassi A brief description of different ways of sounding brass instruments Jeremy Montagu © Jeremy Montagu 2018 The author’s moral rights have been asserted Hataf Segol Publications 2018 Typeset in XƎLATEX by Simon Montagu Why Mouthpieces 1 Cornets and Bugles 16 Long Trumpets 19 Playing the Handhorn in the French Tradition 26 The Mysteries of Fingerhole Horns 29 Horn Chords and Other Tricks 34 Throat or Overtone Singing 38 iii This began as a dinner conversation with Mark Smith of the Ori- ental Institute here, in connexion with the Tutankhamun trum- pets, and progressed from why these did not have mouthpieces to ‘When were mouthpieces introduced?’, to which, on reflection, the only answer seemed to be ‘Often’, for from the Danish lurs onwards, some trumpets or horns had them and some did not, in so many cultures. But indeed, ‘Why mouthpieces?’ There seem to be two main answers: one to enable the lips to access a tube too narrow for the lips to access unaided, and the other depends on what the trumpeter’s expectations are for the instrument to achieve. In our own culture, from the late Renaissance and Early Baroque onwards, trumpeters expected a great deal, as we can see in Bendinelli’s and Fantini’s tutors, both of which are avail- able in facsimile, and in the concert repertoire from Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo onwards. As a result, mouthpieces were already large, both wide enough and deep enough to allow the player to bend the 11th and 13th partials and other notes easily. The transition from the base of the cup into the backbore was a sharp edge.
  • Recital Report

    Recital Report

    Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Plan B and other Reports Graduate Studies 5-1975 Recital Report Robert Steven Call Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports Part of the Music Commons Recommended Citation Call, Robert Steven, "Recital Report" (1975). All Graduate Plan B and other Reports. 556. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports/556 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Plan B and other Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. RECITAL REPORT by Robert Steven Call Report of a recital performed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OP MUSIC in ~IUSIC UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 1975 ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to expr ess appreciation to my private music teachers, Dr. Alvin Wardle, Professor Glen Fifield, and Mr. Earl Swenson, who through the past twelve years have helped me enormously in developing my musicianship. For professional encouragement and inspiration I would like to thank Dr. Max F. Dalby, Dr. Dean Madsen, and John Talcott. For considerable time and effort spent in preparation of this recital, thanks go to Jay Mauchley, my accompanist. To Elizabeth, my wife, I extend my gratitude for musical suggestions, understanding, and support. I wish to express appreciation to Pam Spencer for the preparation of illustrations and to John Talcott for preparation of musical examp l es. iii UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC 1972 - 73 Graduate Recital R.
  • Instrument Descriptions

    Instrument Descriptions

    RENAISSANCE INSTRUMENTS Shawm and Bagpipes The shawm is a member of a double reed tradition traceable back to ancient Egypt and prominent in many cultures (the Turkish zurna, Chinese so- na, Javanese sruni, Hindu shehnai). In Europe it was combined with brass instruments to form the principal ensemble of the wind band in the 15th and 16th centuries and gave rise in the 1660’s to the Baroque oboe. The reed of the shawm is manipulated directly by the player’s lips, allowing an extended range. The concept of inserting a reed into an airtight bag above a simple pipe is an old one, used in ancient Sumeria and Greece, and found in almost every culture. The bag acts as a reservoir for air, allowing for continuous sound. Many civic and court wind bands of the 15th and early 16th centuries include listings for bagpipes, but later they became the provenance of peasants, used for dances and festivities. Dulcian The dulcian, or bajón, as it was known in Spain, was developed somewhere in the second quarter of the 16th century, an attempt to create a bass reed instrument with a wide range but without the length of a bass shawm. This was accomplished by drilling a bore that doubled back on itself in the same piece of wood, producing an instrument effectively twice as long as the piece of wood that housed it and resulting in a sweeter and softer sound with greater dynamic flexibility. The dulcian provided the bass for brass and reed ensembles throughout its existence. During the 17th century, it became an important solo and continuo instrument and was played into the early 18th century, alongside the jointed bassoon which eventually displaced it.
  • Florida State University Libraries

    Florida State University Libraries

    Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2009 Gustav Mahler, Alfred Roller, and the Wagnerian Gesamtkunstwerk: Tristan and Affinities Between the Arts at the Vienna Court Opera Stephen Carlton Thursby Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MUSIC GUSTAV MAHLER, ALFRED ROLLER, AND THE WAGNERIAN GESAMTKUNSTWERK: TRISTAN AND AFFINITIES BETWEEN THE ARTS AT THE VIENNA COURT OPERA By STEPHEN CARLTON THURSBY A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2009 The members of the Committee approve the Dissertation of Stephen Carlton Thursby defended on April 3, 2009. _______________________________ Denise Von Glahn Professor Directing Dissertation _______________________________ Lauren Weingarden Outside Committee Member _______________________________ Douglass Seaton Committee Member Approved: ___________________________________ Douglass Seaton, Chair, Musicology ___________________________________ Don Gibson, Dean, College of Music The Graduate School has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii To my wonderful wife Joanna, for whose patience and love I am eternally grateful. In memory of my grandfather, James C. Thursby (1926-2008). iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The completion of this dissertation would not have been possible without the generous assistance and support of numerous people. My thanks go to the staff of the Austrian Theater Museum and Austrian National Library-Music Division, especially to Dr. Vana Greisenegger, curator of the visual materials in the Alfred Roller Archive of the Austrian Theater Museum. I would also like to thank the musicology faculty of the Florida State University College of Music for awarding me the Curtis Mayes Scholar Award, which funded my dissertation research in Vienna over two consecutive summers (2007- 2008).
  • A Brief History of Piston-Valved Cornets'

    A Brief History of Piston-Valved Cornets'

    337 A Brief History of Piston-valved Cornets' Niles Eldredge The bewildering array of cornet design over the past 175 years or so has defied simple description, categorization, and classification. Yet major themes in cornet design readily emerge on closer study—and while no straightforward classification of comets is possible,' historical analysis of the sequence of major design changes does have the effect of reducing the welter of cornet variation to a manageably simpler picture than heretofore available. I shall restrict my analysis to B6 soprano brasswinds of approximately 41 /2 feet in length, equipped either with the earlier Stolzel valves, or with the succeeding Perinet valves— mentioning comets pitched higher (especially in E6, but also in C where designs differ from those in B6), as well as in lower pitches, only in passing.' Likewise, I consider only "mainstream" instruments most commonly used by amateur and virtuoso professional alike—but excluding such instruments as "echo bell" and "pocket" comets. Finally, in confining my gaze to comets, and thereby excluding trumpets and fluegelhorns (again, except in passing), we immediately confront the question: What, exactly, is a cornet? What Is a cornet? Conventional wisdom has it that a cornet is a soprano brasswind of some 41/2 feet of tubing that (1) has, at least ideally, approximately 2/3 of its length in conical shape, 1/3 cylindrical (the reverse being said to be optimal for trumpets4); (2) tubing coiled in two complete 360° turns (typically 11/2 such turns to the "leadpipe" section between mouthpiece and valves, and a final 180° turn after the bell tubing exits the first valve); thus cornets are usually shorter than Perinet-valved trumpets, which retain the much older single 360°-turn design of most natural trumpets; and (3) a deep, funnel-shaped cup mouthpiece—more similar to a horn, than to a trumpet, mouthpiece.
  • Old Stock List

    Old Stock List

    04 November 2018 SAUNDERS RECORDERS BRISTOL www.saundersrecorders.com PRODUCTS For more information contact:- [email protected] The price of an out of stock item is likely to be different when it comes back into stock. 8 - Sheet Music, is visible for historic information, only. (Most prices are from January 2015.) System Product Price (£) In Order 1 - Recorder 01 Recorder Sundries Code Code Inc.VAT Stock Status 1 - Recorder 01 Recorder Sundries Antikondens 25027 MOL6138 2.50 Coolsma Thumb Rest. pearwood 34159 E005D 5.00 Cork Grease (cup) 31776 MOL6130 0.90 Cork Grease, lipstick style. 26185 MOL6131 2.25 Hard Case, Descant & Treble. 20930 2HC 84.95 Hard Case, Quartet (NSAT) 19972 4HC 145.00 Hard Case, Trio (NSA) 19941 3HC 80.00 Instrument Hire 36658 IH Instrument Loan 41669 IL Instrument Loan - Bass 41690 ILB Instrument Loan - Tenor 41683 ILT Instrument Loan - Treble 41676 ILA Instrument Service etc. 6606 JNE Kung Recorder Case, 6 Slot. 42017 KNG9964 175.00 Moeck Maintenance Kit (alt) 18241 KITa 19.95 Moeck Maintenance Kit (sopran) 31370 KITs 19.99 Moeck Recorder catalogues/leaflets. Small bundle! 41102 41102 Mollenhauer Recorder Maintenance Kit 43663 MOL6132 15.00 Mollenhauer Soft case for S+A, black 43496 MOL7710 21.50 Mollenhauer Teaching Aids pack 43090 MOL6233 14.60 Recorder Oil 31493 OIL 1.00 Recorder Unspecified 2783 R Roll Bag 12 Pocket 7450 86801 54.95 Sling, SR custom spare. 43731 SLING 6.00 Special Service (Moeck) 38430 38430 Thumb Hole Bushing 23993 THB 35.00 Thumb Rest Adjustable brass with ring. 43052 MOL6211 40.38 Thumb Rest, brass with ring.
  • Comp Book Directions

    Comp Book Directions

    COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS AND UPDATES August 2014 A Comprehensive Examination Check-Form is included for both INSTRUMENTAL and CHORAL majors. You should select the appropriate form (see below) and have appropriate faculty sign each component as you pass this off. Comprehensive Examinations must be completed and this form must be submitted to the appropriate Dean by the specified deadline prior to the student teaching experience. (It is recommended that students keep a copy of their completed check form for their records.) INSTRUMENTAL MAJORS are defined as students who have a major applied instrument as follows: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Oboe, Bassoon, Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, Euphonium (Baritone), Tuba, Percussion, Violin, Viola, Cello, String Bass. Instrumental majors, with the exception of piano and guitar, are not required to take a comp on their major instrument. VOCAL MAJORS are defined as students who study major applied voice, guitar* or piano*. *Piano and Guitar majors may opt to be Instrumental Majors. INSTRUMENT CHECK OUT PROCEDURE If you need to check out a VanderCook instrument to prepare for a comprehensive examination, please keep the following in mind: 1. All instruments are issued through the ensembles office, with the exceptions of cellos and basses. These must be checked out through Prof. Eccles. 2. Students may check out an instrument for a period of no longer than 2 weeks. A fine of $1.00/day will be charged for overdue instruments. 3. Students may have no more than two instruments checked out for comprehensive exams at one time. 4. Students needing a cello or bass should check one out through Prof.
  • List of Period Horn Makers For

    List of Period Horn Makers For

    List of period horn makers Alexander www.gebr-alexander.de Germany Classical horns: • Model 194 - natural horn in F (€3.050) with “combination crooks” (a modern variation on the cor solo) to make E, E flat, D, C and B flat basso. • Model 290 natural horn based on a Halari (original in the private collection of Joachim Pöltl of the WDR Köln). NB. Instruments built at A440. Berkeley Wind - www.berkeleywind.com USA “Berkeley Concertino” natural horn, comes with either five crooks (A, G, F, E flat and D) and a “half tone slide”. Birch Music Services - www.gerrybirch.co.uk UK. "Scherzo" hand horn with four crooks D, E flat, E and F. "An amazing inexpensive "entry level" hand horn for those players who wish to develop hand technique skill without paying thousands of pounds” Anthony Halstead.) Clark Brass Instruments - www.naturallyhorns.co.uk Canada. Classical horn: • Natural horn with Viennese or Bohemian bell. Corpus plus master crook and coupler system. Clark produces a master crook and coupler system (C alto, B flat alto, F plus five couplers) which covers the range from C alto to B flat basso Baroque horn: • Details available on request. NB: Clark’s approach to horn making is very much based on his interest in custom design or variations on his previous designs and his experience as a leading natural horn player. He enjoys making things to request stating that “bore, valves (or not), bell size / shape, design can all be tailored to need”. Recent projects have included valve horns, a German style hand horn with a detachable valve block for playing as a single horn in B flat or F, English style baroque horns, a compensating double horn (with the specific aim of improving the F side).
  • French Horn Intro Packet Copy

    French Horn Intro Packet Copy

    Dear Horn Student, Congratulations, and welcome to the world of the horn! You have chosen to learn and play a truly amazing instrument. There are a few things you should know about the horn, however, and this information packet will be an excellent resource for all of your new horn player needs. In this packet you will find information about the history of the horn, different types of horn, good horn brands, some playing information, and a fingering chart. You should keep this packet with the rest of your band music so you can refer to it at any time. The horn is a difficult instrument to play at times, but well worth the effort. No other wind instrument has the same dark, mellow sound as the horn. Again, congratulations on your decision to play the horn, and good luck!! Sincerely, Rebecca Partlow (Fellow musician and horn player) Horn History • The Very Beginning: o The first horns were hunting horns, used by hunters to communicate while riding on horseback through the woods. Hunters used different horn calls (or signals) to “talk” to one another, kind of like the Morse code system we use today. Some horn calls meant “come this way”, or “the hunt is over”, or even “help”. The sound of the horn carried well over long distances, so if the party of hunters were separated, they could easily find one another again by following the sound of the horn. • How the Horn Became Part of the Orchestra: o There is a story about a man named Count Franz Anton von Sporck, who was a German noble in the early 1600s.
  • Euphonium, Baritone, Or ??? by David Werden (From

    Euphonium, Baritone, Or ??? by David Werden (From

    Euphonium, Baritone, or ??? by David Werden (from www.dwerden.com) When I was in high school, my parents decided to buy a new instrument for me to replace the student model I had been using. The music store showed me a top of the line King 3-valve "baritone." The salesman said it was a fine instrument, but if I was a serious player, I should spend another $80. For the extra money I would get not a mere baritone, but a genuine ***E*U*P*H*O*N*I*U*M***. When I asked what the difference was he explained that a baritone has three valves, while a euphonium has four. He also told me that a euphonium has a different bore, and sounds nicer that a baritone. I ordered the more expensive instrument. As the years passed, I learned that the only difference between those two horns was the extra valve. The salesman wasn’t trying to mislead me--he was simply as confused as most people about the difference between a baritone and a euphonium. Over the years I have heard many incorrect explanations of this difference. Some are: a euphonium has four valves, a baritone three; if it’s in a bass clef it’s a euphonium, if it’s in treble clef it’s a baritone; a baritone is little euphonium; a baritone has the bell pointed forward, a euphonium points up; and (attributed to Robert King) a euphonium is a baritone played well. This confusion of names may contribute to the somewhat anonymous nature of my chosen instrument.