Posted by K on June 16, 2003 at 19:47:37:
Fellow TubeNetter Jan Lybeck of Gothenburg in Sweden has sent me a link to an article on older Swedish brasses:
http://www.musik.uu.se/ssm/stmonline/vol_4/nilsson/main.html
It concerns especially the Eb "kornett", which was the lead instrument in the older Swedish ensembles. Actually it was the same type of instrument, which was the the top, but not always lead-, instrument of the brass ensembles of my first years with brass from 1960 here in Denmark. Only we did not call it "kornet", but piccolo.
Both the Swedish and Danish versions had next to none bell flares. The Danish ones had the standard 3 half steps lowering by the 3rd valve slide, whereas the Swedish ones had the 3rd valve lower the pitch 2 whole steps.
The illustration shows 2 Swedish pre-1900 "Esskornetter" by Wahl and Ahlberg & Ohlsson.
The article author, Ann-Marie Nilsson, points out the difference between the Prussian-Russian-Swedish tradition of the flareless military bugle and the the Austrian tradition exemplified in the wider bell flare of their flugelhorns. Also that the Austrian tradition appears to have won in the German speaking area.
The original Swedish tradition stands quite strong with several faithful revival bands. It is even represented on a pro level with a military band. In my Country I am only aware of one revival band, which even is much less than kosher on the instrumental side (French horns replace valved alto trombones), whereas the repertory is original circa 1900. Both countries now are strongly influenced by US and UK formations like concert band and brass band.
When I see these Swedish "Esskornetter" (which I since long have considered being soprano flugelhorns), I cannot avoid seeing the resemblance with the tubas having, what I call the Cerveny Urtext bells:
http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/yorkmasterpublicphotosiii/vwp?.dir=/&.dnm=Cerveny+1890++F+or+Eb+tuba.jpg
http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/yorkmasterpublicphotosxviii/lst?&.dir=/Anonymous+Urtext+bell+type+Eb+tuba+3RV
Also with the Russian instruments presented in my recent posting linked to below here. And with many of the older Central European helicons represented in my gallery.
Cerveny operated on soil under the Austrian empire. Why was he close to Prussian-Russian tradition?
He sold immense numbers of instruments to Russia and for some period had at least one factory there. And his factory was within walking distance from the border to the Prussian sphere of influence.
Klaus Bjerre
Retired teacher
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