William H. Stone

“ TENOROON, a name sometimes given to the Tenor Bassoon or Alto Fagotto in F. It is obviously a modification of the word Bassoon, for which little authority can be found. The identity of this instrument with the Oboe di Caccia of Bach has already been adverted to, and the error of assigning parts written for it by that composer, Beethoven, and others, to the Corno Inglese or Alto Oboe in the same key has been corrected. At the present time it has entirely gone out of use. ”

“ When represented by a full choir it materially improves the tone quality, while its capacity for distinct rendering of very rapid passages, combined with its powerful tone, make it a valuable adjunct for obtaining a good balance of instrumentation of wind-bands.
The Saxophone is extensively employed in most military reed-bands of the south of Europe, especially those of France; but in the infantry bands of Germany and Austria it remains almost unknown. ”

“ The passage is translated in the Septuagint ἐν σάλπιγξιν ἐλαταῖς καὶ φανῇ σάλπιγγος κερατίνης, and in the Vulgate 'in tubis ductilibus.et voce tubæ corneæ.' The chatsotsrah is obviously the trombone, which it will be shown by other evidence is of extreme antiquity; the shophar is in both Greek and Latin versions described as the 'horn-trumpet or ramshorn,' well known to have been used in Jewish festivals, whence in Numbers xxix. 1 a feast day is called 'a day of blowing the trumpets,' and in Joshua vi. 4 'seven trumpets of ramshorns' are minutely described as preceding the Ark. ”

“ But as they have a large mouthpiece, and require a very loose embouchure, more can be done towards correcting harmonic imperfections of the scale by the player than in acuter instruments of the same character. ”

“ The name of this ancient instrument is variously derived from the Latin Calamus, Calamellus, 'a reed,' or from the German schallen, 'to sound.' The σῦριγξ of the Greeks, supposed by Bernsdorff and others to be identical with it, is shown by Mr. ”