Jeopardy! question

[JasonDonnelly]

On tonight's episode of Jeopardy!, an answer in the "Shapes" category was along the lines of the following:

"These kinds of tubas, named for their shape, are lighter and wrapped differently, and often used for marching."

The question? "What is a helicon?"

None of the contestants answered, or tried to answer. I didn't get it at home, either. I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who could get that on the fly.

[John Morgan]

I wonder if sousaphone would have been acceptable?

[MarChant]

A Sousaphone is not named for its Shape.

[John Morgan]

Right you are!

[DaveBj]

Dang, and here I thought they were named for Helicon, Alabama, a community in neighboring Winston County, where a lot of my cousins live

[ghmerrill]

A Sousaphone is not named for its Shape.

Also, Sousaphones are (almost universally) not lighter than tubas. Most tuba players, with some thought, should have answered correctly. Most other people have never heard of (or seen) a helicon (helikon) -- and in fact the spelling corrector here doesn't recognize the word. Of course, and ironically, it also doesn't recognize 'euphonium', though it's fine with 'tuba' and 'Sousaphone'.

[daniel76309]

I missed it too. I would have said sousaphone, but as Dave pointed out, it isn't named for its shape. I would question the part about "often used for marching" though. How many marching bands use helicons? I watch Jeopardy every day, and I find that the only easy questions are the ones I know the answer to.

[adrian_quince]

I would question the part about "often used for marching" though. How many marching bands use helicons?

If you're referring to the groups of dozens of players who march in uniform? Probably only a few in Eastern Europe. In the states, the only times I've seen helicons used for marching are with dixieland marching groups.

[ghmerrill]

Helicons aren't very easy to get in the US. In NC, for example, at three different Tuba Christmas locales over the past five years or so, I think I've seen only one helicon (an Eb, and it appears at several different events).

While marching was one of the design considerations for helicons (and oval euphoniums -- the bell isn't blocking your straight-ahead view as you march), another consideration was the ability to play them on horseback (considerably more difficult with a Sousaphone, and mind the wind). The original Sousaphone (upward-pointing "raincatcher" bell) was a kind of Franken-heli-tuba in accord with Sousa's vision and his desire to have higher output than from the helicon. Interestingly, in several circumstances, Sousaphone players will now turn their bell away from the front-orientation into what is more of a helicon configuration (perhaps along the lines of "Don't point that thing at me!".)

While I have seen pictures of Sousaphones used on horseback, this is not for the faint of heart, or weak of will (or weak of muscle either). And of course the legendary Dutch Bicycle Band uses helicons.

[MarChant]

Ah, yes! The "Trompetterkorps Bereden Wapens":

https://youtu.be/q7tPNxyeWUU

A long time ago, when I still played Tuba, I did a gig with them. How ever, I did not join the bicycle part of the show, as that requires lots of training and experience, and I was just a stand-in. I was condemned to marching the heavy Sousaphone...

Actually, come to think of it, they were my first experience with marching/military band music.

[RickF]

Wow, that is a bit crazy! Looks like alto, tenor and bass helicons there. Pretty impressive I'd say. The hardest instrument to play might be the snare drum. He's playing with both hands and steering with his right wrist. The only thing I didn't care for is the laughter from the audience. Don't they know how hard that is? Looks like this is from a Tattoo celebration.

Thanks for sharing MarChant.

[opus37]

I have two helicons and I march with both of them (not at the same time) in the St. Paul Police Band. Both are Eb. One is an 1895 J.W. Pepper large size imported from France and the other is a 1921 Frank Holton. Both are in excellent shape. They play well and attract crowd interest every time they come out. Tubas march in the front row in the police band so I'm front and center as we go down the street. There is a sousaphone on each side of me. I also played the solo part of "the Mighty Deep" with a concert band last summer on the Pepper horn. I also have played both at Tuba Christmas. That music is from the same time period. they are fun horns to play, lighter than a sousaphone, very comfortable because they are well balanced. A helicon is reasonable rare, but there are some out there. They are not as showy as a Sousa, but they are fun.

By the way, the Holton is for sale.