Grande fantaisie dramatique:
Playlist:
Playlist:
etc-etc
I'd say it's very reminiscent of euphonium.
It's my understanding that the ophicleide is EXTREMELY difficult to play with accurate intonation and even tonal quality - that the toneholes on the sides create acoustical compromises that are darn near impossible to rectify.
Let's face it, there are reasons why the mid-low brass is now occupied by members of the valved tuba family (alto horn, tenor horn, euphonium, F and Eb tubas) and not ophicleides. The keyed bugles (of which the ophicleide is one) have TOTALLY died out.
So when they label the record "virtuoso ophicleide" they ain't kidding. The player is TRULY a virtuoso.
It's my understanding that the ophicleide is EXTREMELY difficult to play with accurate intonation and even tonal quality - that the toneholes on the sides create acoustical compromises that are darn near impossible to rectify.
Let's face it, there are reasons why the mid-low brass is now occupied by members of the valved tuba family (alto horn, tenor horn, euphonium, F and Eb tubas) and not ophicleides. The keyed bugles (of which the ophicleide is one) have TOTALLY died out.
So when they label the record "virtuoso ophicleide" they ain't kidding. The player is TRULY a virtuoso.
The difference between the keyed bugle family and the saxophones is that with brass instruments you're generally playing up in the second order and above - brass instruments rarely use the fundamental, they call it "pedal tones" but it's not used much in music. So the tubing has to be much longer for the ordinary range. And as a result the brass instruments are generally made up of a roughly cylindrical section and then a roughly conical section. Now if you take something like that and interrupt it with toneholes on the side, first of all you're losing much of the effect of the bell - which is greater on brass than on a saxophone. And then you're also changing with each tone hole that's opened the ratio of cone to straight in the tubing.
By contrast, whichever tonehole of the saxophone you open, the general proportions of the bore remain constant. This is why the saxophone registers are quite similar in tone compared to - for example - the differences between chamuleau and throat tones on clarinet.
In the end, it's turned out to be the best compromise with brasses to have the length-changing occur in the more cylindrical portion of the bore, with valves, and use the same bell for all notes. Even though valved brass also have a variation in cone-to-straight as the valves are used, the tonal and acoustical effects are less when you make those changes down in the cylindrical section than when you cut off portions of the bell.
In truth, the acoustical compromises of the saxophone are among the smallest of all the instruments. It's one of the acousticallly most perfect of the wind instruments.
By contrast, whichever tonehole of the saxophone you open, the general proportions of the bore remain constant. This is why the saxophone registers are quite similar in tone compared to - for example - the differences between chamuleau and throat tones on clarinet.
In the end, it's turned out to be the best compromise with brasses to have the length-changing occur in the more cylindrical portion of the bore, with valves, and use the same bell for all notes. Even though valved brass also have a variation in cone-to-straight as the valves are used, the tonal and acoustical effects are less when you make those changes down in the cylindrical section than when you cut off portions of the bell.
In truth, the acoustical compromises of the saxophone are among the smallest of all the instruments. It's one of the acousticallly most perfect of the wind instruments.
As per Encyclopedia Britannica (1911 edition):
"The ophicleide is almost perfect theoretically, for it combines the natural harmonic scale of the brass wind instruments having cup-shaped mouthpieces, such as the trumpet, with a system of keys, twelve in number, one for each chromatic semitone of the scale; it is capable of absolutely accurate intonation. It consists of a wooden, or oftener brass, tube with a conical bore having the same proportions as that of the bugle but not wide enough in proportion to its length to make the fundamental or first note of the harmonic series of much practical use. The tube, theoretically[1] 8 ft. long, is doubled upon itself once, terminating at the narrow end in a tight coil, from which protrudes the straight piece known as the crook, which bears the cup-shaped mouthpiece; the wide end of the tube terminates in a funnel-shaped bell pointing upwards.
The production of sound is effected in the ophicleide as in other instruments with cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpieces (see Horn). The lips stretched across the mouthpiece act as vibrating reeds or as the vocal chords in the larynx. The breath of the performer, compressed by being forced through the narrow opening between the lips, sets the latter in vibration. The stream of air, instead of proceeding into the cup in an even flow—in which case there would be no sound—is converted into a series of pulsations by the trembling of the lips. On being thrown into communication with the main stationary column of air at the bottom of the cup, the pulsating stream generates “sound waves,” each consisting of a half wave of expansion and of a half wave of compression. On the frequency per second of the sound waves as they strike the drum of the ear depends the pitch of the note, the acuteness of the sound varying in direct proportion to the frequency. To ensure a higher frequency in the sound waves, their length must be decreased. Two things are necessary to bring this about without shortening the length of the tube: (1) the opening between the lips, fixed at each end by contact with the edges ofthe mouthpiece, must be made narrower by greater tension; (2) the breath must be sent through the reduced aperture in a more compressed form and with greater force, so that the exciting current of air becomes more incisive. An exact proportion, not yet scientifically determined, evidently exists between the amount of pressure and the degree of tension, which is unconsciously regulated by the performer, excess of pressure in proportion to the tension of the lips producing a crescendo by causing amplitude of vibration instead of increased speed.
When the fundamental note of a pipe is produced, the tension of the lips and pressure of breath proportionally combined are at their minimum for that instrument. If both be doubled, a node is formed half way up the pipe, and the column of air no longer vibrates as a whole, but as two separate parts, each half the length of the tube, and the frequency of the sound waves is doubled in consequence. The practical result is the production of the second harmonic of the series an octave above the fundamental. The formation of three nodes and therefore of three separate sound waves produces a note a twelfth above the fundamental, known as the third harmonic, and so on in mathematical ratio. This harmonic series forms the natural scale of the instrument, and is for the ophicleide the following:
In some cases the fundamental is difficult to obtain, and the harmonics above the eighth are not used.
The ophicleide has in addition to its natural scale eleven or twelve lateral holes covered by keys, each of which, when successively opened, raises the pitch of the harmonic series a semitone, with the exception of the first, an open key, which on being closed lowers the pitch a semitone. There were ophicleides in C and in Bâ™, the former being the more common; contrabass ophicleides were also occasionally made in F and Eâ™. The keys of the ophicleide, being placed in the lowest register, were intended to bind together by chromatic degrees the first and second harmonics. The compass is a little over three octaves, from
with chromatic semitones throughout.
The unsatisfactory timbre of the ophicleide led to its being superseded by the bass tuba; but it seems a pity that an instrument so powerful, so easy to learn and understand, and capable of such accurate intonation, should have to be discarded. The lower register is rough, but so powerful that it can easily sustain above it masses of brass harmonics; the medium is coarse in tone, and the upper wild and unmusical."
"The ophicleide is almost perfect theoretically, for it combines the natural harmonic scale of the brass wind instruments having cup-shaped mouthpieces, such as the trumpet, with a system of keys, twelve in number, one for each chromatic semitone of the scale; it is capable of absolutely accurate intonation. It consists of a wooden, or oftener brass, tube with a conical bore having the same proportions as that of the bugle but not wide enough in proportion to its length to make the fundamental or first note of the harmonic series of much practical use. The tube, theoretically[1] 8 ft. long, is doubled upon itself once, terminating at the narrow end in a tight coil, from which protrudes the straight piece known as the crook, which bears the cup-shaped mouthpiece; the wide end of the tube terminates in a funnel-shaped bell pointing upwards.
The production of sound is effected in the ophicleide as in other instruments with cup- or funnel-shaped mouthpieces (see Horn). The lips stretched across the mouthpiece act as vibrating reeds or as the vocal chords in the larynx. The breath of the performer, compressed by being forced through the narrow opening between the lips, sets the latter in vibration. The stream of air, instead of proceeding into the cup in an even flow—in which case there would be no sound—is converted into a series of pulsations by the trembling of the lips. On being thrown into communication with the main stationary column of air at the bottom of the cup, the pulsating stream generates “sound waves,” each consisting of a half wave of expansion and of a half wave of compression. On the frequency per second of the sound waves as they strike the drum of the ear depends the pitch of the note, the acuteness of the sound varying in direct proportion to the frequency. To ensure a higher frequency in the sound waves, their length must be decreased. Two things are necessary to bring this about without shortening the length of the tube: (1) the opening between the lips, fixed at each end by contact with the edges ofthe mouthpiece, must be made narrower by greater tension; (2) the breath must be sent through the reduced aperture in a more compressed form and with greater force, so that the exciting current of air becomes more incisive. An exact proportion, not yet scientifically determined, evidently exists between the amount of pressure and the degree of tension, which is unconsciously regulated by the performer, excess of pressure in proportion to the tension of the lips producing a crescendo by causing amplitude of vibration instead of increased speed.
When the fundamental note of a pipe is produced, the tension of the lips and pressure of breath proportionally combined are at their minimum for that instrument. If both be doubled, a node is formed half way up the pipe, and the column of air no longer vibrates as a whole, but as two separate parts, each half the length of the tube, and the frequency of the sound waves is doubled in consequence. The practical result is the production of the second harmonic of the series an octave above the fundamental. The formation of three nodes and therefore of three separate sound waves produces a note a twelfth above the fundamental, known as the third harmonic, and so on in mathematical ratio. This harmonic series forms the natural scale of the instrument, and is for the ophicleide the following:
 Fundamental. |
The ophicleide has in addition to its natural scale eleven or twelve lateral holes covered by keys, each of which, when successively opened, raises the pitch of the harmonic series a semitone, with the exception of the first, an open key, which on being closed lowers the pitch a semitone. There were ophicleides in C and in Bâ™, the former being the more common; contrabass ophicleides were also occasionally made in F and Eâ™. The keys of the ophicleide, being placed in the lowest register, were intended to bind together by chromatic degrees the first and second harmonics. The compass is a little over three octaves, from
with chromatic semitones throughout.The unsatisfactory timbre of the ophicleide led to its being superseded by the bass tuba; but it seems a pity that an instrument so powerful, so easy to learn and understand, and capable of such accurate intonation, should have to be discarded. The lower register is rough, but so powerful that it can easily sustain above it masses of brass harmonics; the medium is coarse in tone, and the upper wild and unmusical."
The problem - which is pretty obvious when you hear one - and the reason why they went extinct, is that there is no clarity or attack to the notes. Not clean articulation when a note is hit.
It sounds quite nice on long notes, but when the music starts into eigths or sixteenths...you can hear how muddy it is. It's like listening to a person speaking, who has very poor enunciation....
The improvement was basically slapping a clarinet mouthpiece onto it, then you ended up with a key-horn with a reed mouthpiece, much sharper articulation and 'bite', and voila...birth of the Sax.
It sounds quite nice on long notes, but when the music starts into eigths or sixteenths...you can hear how muddy it is. It's like listening to a person speaking, who has very poor enunciation....
The improvement was basically slapping a clarinet mouthpiece onto it, then you ended up with a key-horn with a reed mouthpiece, much sharper articulation and 'bite', and voila...birth of the Sax.
The sound is gorgeous, and the virtuosity is commendable in its own right. Yet can't help but feel that its demise was guaranteed once valves emerged, and this is coming from someone who loves odd instruments like an ophicleide. The high praise in the encyclopedia Britannica entry sounds like unfounded hype, almost laughably so at times. There's simply no competition between definition of tone, articulation, and presence between an ophicleide and a euphonium or tuba. The tone is distinct but not enough to warrant full coexistence. At best it can continue as a historical instrument for period performances, like for Berlioz' Symphonie fantastique.
I suppose one can argue that without valve horns, the sax may not have been born (at least in the sequence that it came into being)....
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