[Dixielandjazz] Bechet's sarrusophone

[Paul Edgerton]

Brian Wood wrote:
> I do not think there is any question that a sarrusophone is a double-reeded
> instrument. In fact the sarrusophone was unique in double-reeded instruments.

So far, so good.

> Unlike the oboe or bassoon which have a parallel bore, the sarrusophone, a
> brass  instrument, is conically-bored like a saxophone.

Oops, that's wrong. The only woodwind instrument having a primarily
cylindrical bore is the clarinet. The oboe and bassoon have conical
bores, like the sarrusophone and saxophone. The sarrusophone's bore is
larger than the bore of the "normal" double reeds, and the saxophone
bore is larger still. Sarrusophones were made of of brass, like
saxophones, but lacking a cup mouthpiece, both are woodwind
instruments.

> It seems that its inventor  in 1856, a man called Sarrus (!), was in direct
> competition with Adolphe Sax but  his instrument fell out of favour in the early
> 1900s. There were seven sizes of  sarrusophone, ranging from the sopranino
> to the contrabass.

In fact, the Sarrusophones were intended to be louder, more robust
substitutes for the double reeds, primarily for military bands. They
are capable of being played quite loudly. There's lots more about
sarruspophones on Wikipedia:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarrusophone>