The valve instruments began to prevail as early as
1850. The sound tube of all bugles, saxhorns, and tubas is conical,
with a much wider curve than the horn. The quality of tone produced is
a general kind of tone, not possessing the individuality of any of the
older instruments. All these valve instruments may be comprehended
under the French name of saxhorn. There is a division between them of
the higher instruments or bugles, which do not sound the fundamental
note, and of the lower, or tubas, which sound it readily. Properly
military band instruments, the second or bass division, has been taken
over to the orchestra; and Wagner has made great use of it in his
great scores. The soprano cornets, bugles, or flugelhorns and saxhorns
are in E flat; the corresponding alto instruments in B flat, which is
also the pitch of the ordinary cornet. The tenor, baryton, and bass
instruments follow in similar relation; the bass horns are, as I have
said, called tubas; and that with four valves, the euphonium. The
bombardon, or E flat tuba, has much richer lower notes.
For military purposes, this and the contrabass--the helicon--are
circular. Finally, the contrabass tubas in B flat, and in C, for
Wagner, have immense depth and potentiality of tone; all these
instruments are capable of pianissimo.
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