Posted by Tidbit on February 05, 2004 at 18:29:51:
In Reply to: Kalison Daryl Smith Tubas posted by Jm on February 02, 2004 at 14:13:32:
I remember exchanging emails with Michela Bennicchio (sp?) a couple of years back about Kalison's relationship to Rampone-Cazzani, maker of tubas since before the turn of the 20th century. She allowed as to how, when Rampone-Cazzani dropped most of their brasswind business, they picked up tooling and employees from the Rampone operation. (Rampone is no longer in Milan and concentrates on saxophones). Rampone made some very interesting instruments in the Italian style--very slow taper of the large branches. The DS rotary is practically the same basic design that Rampone-Cazzani was building 100 years ago.
All of the old-time Rampone craftsmen have long since retired or passed on, so Kalison is pretty much in the position of re-inventing their tuba line.