Eb Alto/Tenor Horn & The Salvation Army

[Sara Hood]

There has been a lot of buzz on the forum lately about the Eb Alto/Tenor Horn. It is a rather obscure instrument outside the brass band world. But I wanted to share one place where it does get some use, Salvation Army Brass Banding. The Salvation Army Brass Band is a fork in the road that some British Brass Banding took. It developed parallel to it in many ways, but also went world wide as The Salvation Army did.

The alto horn is present in most Salvation Army Brass Bands. Musically speaking, it is used in a mostly support capacity. Many of the solos go to the cornets, euphoniums, or trombones, but the alto is played right there along side them. So if you are looking for brass or Alto music, you could check out https://samusicindex.com/brass .

I wanted there to be a thread for this neat little horn. So I talked Dave into making this Other Brass Instruments area. And this can be the start of a thread devoted to them. Feel free to chime in with whatever alto related discussion/questions, or other interesting find things here (smile).
- Sara

[davewerden]

The Salvation Army follows standard British-style brass band format so of course they use the alto/tenor horn. Here is an example, played by David Winch:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...os.cfm?vid=827

The tenor has the facility of a cornet or euphonium, but they are not featured as much. I don't like the tone as well as French horn, from an absolute point of view, but it is very appropriate in brass band or brass quartet. Often lines hand off between sections, and a French horn would not cut it!

Here is a Carpenters song (which I have also recorded):

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=1260

As I mentioned, they can display brilliant facility...like this:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...os.cfm?vid=587

Or this (in a piece Sergei Nakariakov has done on flugel):

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=2194

And we must include Sheona White:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=1176

[ChristianeSparkle]

Exciting!!

[daruby]

I have met Owen Farr at the IBBSS (and many other tenor horn players as well) where he is the lead tutor for the horn section (flugelhorn and tenor). AFAIK, he is generally acknowledged as the best technical tenor horn player in the world at this time. He has finger and tongue speed that is amazing. I have seen Richard Marshall, David Childs, David Thornton, and Brett Baker literally bow down to Owen at evening recitals in the "I am not worthy" supplicant position. He is beyond amazing. Of course he also has a nice lyrical style, but most of his solo work is virtuosic in the classic violin/cornet solo style.

[Davidus1]

The Salvation Army follows standard British-style brass band format so of course they use the alto/tenor horn. Here is an example, played by David Winch:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...os.cfm?vid=827

The tenor has the facility of a cornet or euphonium, but they are not featured as much. I don't like the tone as well as French horn, from an absolute point of view, but it is very appropriate in brass band or brass quartet. Often lines hand off between sections, and a French horn would not cut it!

Here is a Carpenters song (which I have also recorded):

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=1260

As I mentioned, they can display brilliant facility...like this:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...os.cfm?vid=587

Or this (in a piece Sergei Nakariakov has done on flugel):

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=2194

And we must include Sheona White:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=1176

Thanks Dave. Great stuff!

[Davidus1]

I have met Owen Farr at the IBBSS (and many other tenor horn players as well) where he is the lead tutor for the horn section (flugelhorn and tenor). AFAIK, he is generally acknowledged as the best technical tenor horn player in the world at this time. He has finger and tongue speed that is amazing. I have seen Richard Marshall, David Childs, David Thornton, and Brett Baker literally bow down to Owen at evening recitals in the "I am not worthy" supplicant position. He is beyond amazing. Of course he also has a nice lyrical style, but most of his solo work is virtuosic in the classic violin/cornet solo style.

I'll admit I was not familiar with Owen but after this post watched a couple of his videos. Wow! Incredible. Thank you for sharing.

[daruby]

Forgot to mention he is a great guy to have refreshing adult beverage with at the bar after the recitals or concerts at band camp!

[Shawn]

The tenor has the facility of a cornet or euphonium, but they are not featured as much. I don't like the tone as well as French horn, from an absolute point of view, but it is very appropriate in brass band or brass quartet. Often lines hand off between sections, and a French horn would not cut it!

The guy who sold me the Tenor horn said it was super easy to make it sound like a French Horn--"left hand in the bell, and clam a lot of notes".

Somewhat more seriously, I was the swing man in our school band so I was expected to play any brass instrument needed. So I got to be functionally lousy on many instruments instead of half-decent on one. The exception was French Horn. I couldn't even raise my standard to "lousy". I still have nightmares about that thing, and I'm too old to think they'll ever go away.

[bbocaner]

The Salvation Army follows standard British-style brass band format

Not exactly, but very close. The Salvation Army Band doesn't have a repiano cornet part - so the back row of cornets is 1st and 2nd cornet rather than repiano, 2nd, and 3rd. And salvation army bands often have four trombone parts instead of 3.

[LewisContreras]

The Salvation Army follows standard British-style brass band format so of course they use the alto/tenor horn. Here is an example, played by David Winch:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...os.cfm?vid=827

The tenor has the facility of a cornet or euphonium, but they are not featured as much. how long does it take to see results with phenq I don't like the tone as well as French horn, from an absolute point of view, but it is very appropriate in brass band or brass quartet. Often lines hand off between sections, and a French horn would not cut it!

Here is a Carpenters song (which I have also recorded):

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=1260

As I mentioned, they can display brilliant facility...like this:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...os.cfm?vid=587

Or this (in a piece Sergei Nakariakov has done on flugel):

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=2194

And we must include Sheona White:

http://www.dwerden.com/music-videos/...s.cfm?vid=1245

Thanks Great stuff!

[MarChant]

I've always had my eye on the Alto/tenor horn, but never had the opportunity to play one, until a few months ago when I came across a vintage Mahillon from 1927 for cheap, so I dove right in. I absolute fell in love with it and have acquired 3 more since!!! (A BM Symphonic, a vintage Courtois from between 1927 and 1930 and an Olds Ambassador bell-front, wich I suspect is tuned in the key of F, but it is still in transit from the USA to The Netherlands) It is so much fun to play on them, I just can't put it down once I pick one up. It is so unfortunate that it is such an obscure, forgotten even, instrument outside the Brass Band world.

[Shawn]

I've always had my eye on the Alto/tenor horn, but never had the opportunity to play one, until a few months ago when I came across a vintage Mahillon from 1927 for cheap, so I dove right in. I absolute fell in love with it and have acquired 3 more since!!! (A BM Symphonic, a vintage Courtois from between 1927 and 1930 and an Olds Ambassador bell-front, wich I suspect is tuned in the key of F, but it is still in transit from the USA to The Netherlands) It is so much fun to play on them, I just can't put it down once I pick one up. It is so unfortunate that it is such an obscure, forgotten even, instrument outside the Brass Band world.

100% agree, they are complete fun.
I don't need more than my one, but I'm really curious: can you describe how the Courtois' sound differs from your others?

[MikeS]

Don’t forget that the alto/tenor horn has a prominent role in banda music, performed in Mexico and the southwestern U.S.. If you want to delve into this further, try searching YouTube for “banda saxor”. Saxor is the word used for this horn in the banda world.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EifFb1L8jNk

Plus, I would love to see Owen Farr and Sheona White in uniforms like these. :-)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UsFbmjQIU_4

[Shawn]

Right, I can't unsee that, so, erm, thanks.

[MarChant]

@MikeS: interesting, I had not heard of these "banda saxor" before, but that is good news for alto horn enthusiasts.

@Shawn: I can't tell you how the Courtois sounds just yet. It has a leak in the leadpipe; always a risk when bidding in online auctions, even when the discription says 'tested and working/playable', but I taped it with plumbers (teflon) tape. The leak is airtight now, but I can't play without mute in my appartement so I have to wait until I can visit my mom in the weekend. Then, it will truly be tested. 😀

The Mahillon sounds a tiny bit more 'mellow' and has a few more intonation quirks than the BM, wich is a little brighter and better in tune (but still has its issues).