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Contrabass-list Mon, 3 Nov 1997 Volume 1 : Number 25
In this issue:
Date: Mon, 03 Nov 1997 03:11:31 -0500
From:
Farfl's house <lederman@inforamp.net>
Subject: Re:
contrabass-list V1 #24
> "ORSI was founded in 1836 by Professor Romeo Orsi as a clarinet manufacturer
> for European professional musicians. Since that date, Orsi established a
> global reputation for designing and building 'unique' musical instruments
> such as Sopranino Saxophones, Bass Saxophones, Contra- bass Saxophones,
> English Horns, Sarrusophones and Oboe D'Amore."> Since LA Sax is conecting with Orsi on making straight sopranino, bass and
> contrabass saxes, does that mean Orsi is still around making other
> instruments like sarrusophones?
I had an early Orsi instrument that I thought was pretty crappy, in terms of construction and playability. The best thing about it was the engraving on the bell. Has the quality improved any, or are we just going to have some strange large instruments with little regard for craftsmanship?
steven
Date: Mon, 03 Nov 1997 06:14:07 -0500
From: Chip
Owen <cowen@centralnet.net>
Subject: Re:
contrabass-list V1 #24, Orsi Sarrusophones
Yes, Orse still makes sarrusophones. A friend of mine, Bill Fetcher, of Steamboat Steams, CO, worked on a new Orsi soprano sarrusophone within the last few years. As I recall, Bill was not very impressed with the quality of the instrument.
Bill has worked on a number of sarrusophones over the years. As a navy musician he was attached to the repair department of the Armed Forces School of Music in Little Creek, VA during which time he not only rebuilt the sarrusophone in the school's inventory but also wrote a manual for it so that it could be properly serviced in the future.
--
Chip Owen
Columbia City,
IN
cowen@centralnet.net
Date: Sun, 2 Nov 1997 23:22:14 -0800
From:
dnmagic@juno.com (David A Neubauer)
Subject: re:Amplified
Contra
-- [ From: Mark Trinko * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] --
>Dear David N.,
>Actually there are a few other amplified contra-bassoonissts:
>John Steinmetz in California (jazz solo guy)
>Erik Langeveld in Amsterdam (electronic music group)
>In fact Erik's group performed last year at the Contra-bassoon festival
>in Las Vegas. I expect that we will have an amplified contra-bassoon
>lecture this year at the contra-fest in Las Vegas, Jan 5-8.>Mark
Cool! I'll call John (I don't know Erik), play with him once in a long while, did not know he was amplified. Do you know the set-up on Erik's (if you took a good look at it at last year's convention?). It's a shame I can't make it up there in January, my set-up is sweet! I play (the amped contra) every few Wednesdays in Northridge. E-me (any of you) if you can make it (to make sure I'm not on tour, and will be there).
Thanks again for the info!
David
Date: Mon, 03 Nov 1997 10:32:27 -0800
From: Grant
Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Re:
Sarrusophones
>"ORSI was founded in 1836 by Professor Romeo Orsi as a clarinet manufacturer
>for European professional musicians. Since that date, Orsi established a
>global reputation for designing and building 'unique' musical instruments
>such as Sopranino Saxophones, Bass Saxophones, Contra- bass Saxophones,
>English Horns, Sarrusophones and Oboe D'Amore.">Since LA Sax is conecting with Orsi on making straight sopranino, bass and
>contrabass saxes, does that mean Orsi is still around making other
>instruments like sarrusophones?
Yes, ORSI is still around, and still manufacturing instruments. A few months ago, their German distributor subscribed, and filled us in on a few of the larger products. I think Francis now has a catalog (mine hasn't arrived yet). They still make sarrusophones of any size, contrabass saxes, clarinets, and probably anything else you can dream up. If I remember right, Robert has (or had) a soprano sarrusophone made recently by ORSI.
Grant
From - Fri Oct 31 19:29:31 1997
Date: Fri, 31 Oct
1997 19:29:31 -0800
From: Peter Koval
<pkoval@sundance.usd.edu>
Organization: University
of South Dakota
Regarding the recent postings, Adolphe Sax patented a single-reed mouthpiece (of reduced saxophone dimensions) for use on all sizes of sarrusophone in 1866. In other words, this mouthpiece had a saxophone-like tone chamber proportioned to each size of sarrusophone. In 1911, Societe Couesnon et Cie patented a single-reed mouthpiece for sarrusophones and other double reed instruments (oboe and bassoon are mentioned specifically.) Here, the tone chamber was shaped in an approximation to the double-reed form (trapezoidal, according to the patent.)
>From this, it is clear that the Conn idea for a single-reed mouthpiece for their contrabass sarrusophone in the 1920s was hardly original. Although I haven't tried to trace the reference, I remember reading years ago that Bechet obtained the contrabass sarrusophone on which he recorded the jazz number from a pawn shop (probably when he was retrieving his soprano saxophone from pawn--this was quite common for jazz musicians of the time!) Apparently this was a spur of the moment decision, and probably was helped by the fact that the instrument was equipped with a single-reed mouthpiece. I have always assumed that the instrument was a Conn, since Conn contrabasses with single-reed mouthpieces were available in the USA at the time. If I ever come across the reference again, I'll post it.
P.S. This e-mail was not accepted by contrabass-list@contrabass.com
Regards,
Peter Koval
pkoval@sundance.usd.edu
End of contrabass-list V1 #25