Grove's dictionary of music and musicians

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SAXHOEN
SAXHORN
233
Scheme of Fingering for the Saxhorn
OPBK Notes.
Valvb Notes.
VAZ.VE yoiES
amtinued.
Sod and 3rd Talves.
Ist, 2nd, and 3Td ralTea.
different, as the notes of the pedal octave are
required, and to obtain them, a fourth valve,
altering the pitch two and half tones, is usually
employed. (For explanation of certain inac-
The saxhorns chiefly used are the following:—
El> Soprano Fliigel Horn.
Bb Alto Fliigel Horn.
Eb Tenor or Althorn.
Bl> Baritone or Althom.
6|> Bass or Euphonium.
Eb Bass Tuba or Bombardon.
B|> Ck>ntrabass.
but the instruments are sometimes pitched in
F instead of Et> and in C instead of B|> when
required for use in the orchestra. As stated
above, the second note in the harmonic series
is written as middle C when the treble clef is
used, the actual pitch of the note for each of
the instruments named being as here shown :
As sounded.
The Bb Baritone Saxhorn or Althom.
curacies due to the use of valves in combination
see Valvb.)
The range of compass of the Saxhorn family
is fully five octaves, the upper limit being
approximately that of the soprano voice, and
the lower descending an octave lower than the
bass voice. Sir Edward Elgar in his Cockaigne
'
Overture has a descending passage for the tuba
going to D,l>. Although the basses can take
three octaves without difficulty, the average
east/ compass of the other instruments is about
two octaves or a little less.
In every case, however, the note written as
middle C is known as the low C ' ' of the
instrument, the octave below is the 'pedal C,'
and the octave above, or No. 4 C in the harmonic
series, is known as middle ' '
Top C ' or
No. 8 iu the harmonic series is rarely passed.]
There can be no doubt that the inventor of
the Saxhorn added greatly to the compass,
richness, and flexibility of the military brass
and reed bands. But it is a question whether
the tone of these powerful auxiliaries blends so
well with the stringed instruments as that of
the trumpet, French horn, and trombone—and
hence their comparative neglect.
[It is to open-air music that we must look to
understand the change that has been brought
about by the introduction of the saxhorns.
Granting that with the exception of the bass