Vol. 2, No. 23

Contrabass-list Digest Volume 97 : Issue 23

Today's Topics:

• Re: contrabass-list Digest V97 #22 Automation of list
• 
  
• Concert!
• Lavellephone?
• C Bass Sax

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 10:33:54 -0700
From: PaulC135@aol.com (by way of Grant Green <PaulC135@aol.com>)
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Subject: Re: contrabass-list Digest V97 #22

In a message dated 4/16/97 7:17:47 AM, you wrote:

<<Do you know if there were ever actually made any contrabass or baritone saxes tuned in F? I know the first bass sax was tuned in C, when did Sax decide to change it to Bb instead? Were there several C basses made?>>

There are no records or indications that baritones, basses or contrabasses (saxophones) were made in C or F except for the very first bass. They probably were all made in Bb after that as the reorganization of the French Military bands incorporated the saxophones, emphasizing the Eb and Bb horns.

Be wary of any claims for F baritones. Those who purport to have one actually have a high pitch Eb, modified mouthpiece, and an unusually lenient sense of pitch.

For pictures of the contrabass, look for the next two articles in the Saxophone Journal. Both articles are devoted to the contrabass, and there are pictures of my Evette-Schaeffer, (when used in the 1920s, and the 1990s), Orsi, and one recently discovered by Stowasser.

Paul Cohen

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 13:26:50, -0500
From: KUUP84A@prodigy.com (MR MARK A TRINKO)
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Subject: Automation of list

Seems to me that the digests were much larger when Grant was doing this manually. Are we all just not saying something? Is thee still some who are not receiving the digest maybe?

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 14:50:22 -0400
From: "Erik Midtskogen" <erik@firmsupport.com>
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com

Grant wrote:

Ran across an interesting CD ... I think. The URL for this page is http://www.uk.umea.se/jazz/milvus.html . I can't find the CD at either Tower or CDNow, so I'm wondering if some of the Swedish on the page explains how to order the CD. Anyone game to try? Description of the instrumentation below, which pretty much explains how I ran across it ;-)

>MILVUS MILVUS - CHRISTER BOTHÉN
>ACOUSTIC ENSEMBLE
>STUDIO JAZZ 21.00
>Christer Bothén bas- & kontrabasklarinett, Mats Gustafsson
>saxofoner, Per-Åke Holmlander cimbasso & tuba, Kjell Nordesson
>marimba & vibrafon, Leif Johansson bas, Ola Norrman trummor.

Hi Grant,

So sorry, but neither that page or any of the others that I could find at the site mentioned where/how to get the CD. That site is primarily intended to publicize the week-long Ulmeaa international jazz festival. Sounds tempting--if only I had the time and money to go...

It's amazing, but tickets cost only 25Kr (ca. $3.00) per session. Just try to spend a day hanging at the jazz clubs in New York for only $12-$18 a day!

Cheers!

--Erik Midtskogen

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 11:03:10 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Subject: Concert!

CONCERT ANNOUNCEMENT:

The San Jose Wind Symphony (me included) will be performing Sunday, April 20, at 7:00 PM at the Milpitas Community Center (457 East Calaveras Blvd, Milpitas). Tickets $3 at the door: refreshments too. The program is entitled "A Potpourri of Music and Dance" (the Milpitas "Fancy Dancers" are performing to "West Side Story"). The program includes some of our heavy classical numbers, like "Olympica" and Vaughn Williams' "Toccata Marziale" (at least, I think that's how its spelled...).

Also, just got a tape of the last concert. The tape came out very well (I think its recorded digitally). After listening to it, I've decided to play louder. ;-)

Grant

Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 14:16:45 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Subject: Lavellephone?

Someone recently asked me about brass instrument (allegedly) played by two people, the Lavellephone. I've never heard of this, has anyone else?

Grant

Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 00:43:15 +0000
From: Paul Lindemeyer <paulwl@gannett.infi.net>
To: contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Subject: C Bass Sax

> Subject: Swedish
> Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 08:40 +0200
> From: TOMMIE NÄSLUND <ERAC.ERATEN@MESMTPSE.ericsson.se>
> Do you know if there were ever actually made any contrabass or
> baritone saxes tuned in F?

According to Dr. Paul Cohen, no such things exist.

> Were there several C basses made?

At least two, Sax' original instrument and another one he made back in the 1860s or 70s. (The latter is pictured in the January 1990 issue of SAXOPHONE JOURNAL, Vol. 14, No. 4.)

--

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