Embarking on a new euphonium adventure

[John Morgan]

Yippee!! Pretty exciting indeed!! Good for you, Simon!

[guidocorona]

Congrats Simon, while I have found so far only one useful clip of E2 on youtube, I find it to be a very special and impressive-sounding euphonium:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7t07Sd7tbk

What mouthpiece did you use to test it?

Once you receive your darling E2, I hope you will record and post a good clip whilst putting your new baby through its musical paces!

Regards, Guido

[franz]

Some time ago I went to an Adams dealer musical instrument shop a few hundred km from where I live and I tried the models they had ( E1 silver bell 0,6 thickness, E1 red brass bell 0,6, E3 yellow brass bell 0,6) but, at the moment, they did not have any E2 available. Although I enjoyed the sound and intonation of the Adams, I still preferred my Besson Prestige 2052. I would like to try an E3 0,7 and an E2 ( my favorite in the video published by Algirdas Matonis)

(https://youtu.be/bgIbkQKXtck )

(https://youtu.be/b7dk46jlUK4)

but my opinion is that I cannot justify the expense for a new euphonium which, compared to my current one, brings me a completely negligible and aleatory improvement, especially considering that I am a medium-level amateur player.

[Magikarp]

It’s always worth weighing up the tangible benefits. The Besson Prestige is a decent banjo. I’d be curious as to what made you stuck with the Besson, even though your preferred the sound and intonation of the Adams? To me, the only criteria is sound - the fact the Adams has demonstrably better intonation is a added bonus.

This isn’t without risk, no purchase is but the E2 outperformed the round stamp (up until then the best euphonium range I’ve played) in every regard, so even not playing the E2 in a band setting is a dampener.

(Slightly facetious) I have watched a lot of videos of the new generation of euphonium wunderkinds and whilst in awe of their technique; wonder if any of them play louder than MF.

The E1 and 3 didn’t respond anywhere near as well at the upper end of dynamics as the 2 did, and as that’s where I spend most of my time (MF or louder) that’s what sold it. That and the fact I could play quieter on the E2 than either of the others.

[franz]

It’s always worth weighing up the tangible benefits. The Besson Prestige is a decent banjo. I’d be curious as to what made you stuck with the Besson, even though your preferred the sound and intonation of the Adams?

In the comparison I made between the Adams and my Prestige, personally and also listening to them played by my friend I had a slight preference for the Besson. The intonation on the sixth partial was better on the Adams, but not perfect and, although the high intonation of the sixth partial on the Bessons (and on almost all brass) is known, it is easily managed by the trigger. The limiting factor, in my case, is the economic one: 7K € for a new euph is too much for me, considering the unprofessional use I make of it. Let's put my wife's opinion to the contrary and the picture is complete. Anyway I keep an eye on the shop and when an E2 becomes available (it was a few months ago, but it was sold before I could go and try it) I will give it a change. Listening to the Matonis video, where the opening tune is played on an E2 and finally on the Prestige, the E2 has a darker, fuller and more penetrating sound, the Besson lighter and lighter but equally beautiful to my ears.

[guidocorona]

Hello Simon-Magicarp, I am wondering which mouthpiece you used whilst testing E2 and the other eupho upgrade candidates... Perhaps the Alliance 3 listed in your signature line?

Meantime, in case anyone has not spotted Aaron Vanderweele on E2, below is the crispest quality recording that I found of Aaron on E2, here performing the Cosma Concerto. For this clip, friend Richard III suggested he might be using a Wick AL series MP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffaDvuy0YZY

Regards/saluti, Guido

[Magikarp]

Hello Simon-Magicarp, I am wondering which mouthpiece you used whilst testing E2 and the other eupho upgrade candidates... Perhaps the Alliance 3 listed in your signature line?

Meantime, in case anyone has not spotted Aaron Vanderweele on E2, below is the crispest quality recording that I found of Aaron on E2, here performing the Cosma Concerto. For this clip, friend Richard III suggested he might be using a Wick AL series MP:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffaDvuy0YZY

Regards/saluti, Guido

I had a listen to that - there is some seriously good playing there.

I have made the right choice.

And yes, Alliance DC3, half silver / half gold.

[guidocorona]

Hello MagiKarp, yes Vanderweele+E2+AL do sound truly impressive in the Cosma Concerto recording.

Yet I have the feeling that the combination of DC3 on E2 might potentially enhance the tonal/harmonic magic even further.

Ahem... I do freely admit of being an extremophile DC fan

Regards, Guido

[Magikarp]

Hello MagiKarp, yes Vanderweele+E2+AL do sound truly impressive in the Cosma Concerto recording.

Yet I have the feeling that the combination of DC3 on E2 might potentially enhance the tonal/harmonic magic even further.

Ahem... I do freely admit of being an extremophile DC fan

Regards, Guido

I changed from a Randelfalk R3 at the start of the year and intially wasn’t sure I’d made the right choice. The DC3 seemed to have a much airier sound, but that’s actually translated into a much softer pianissimo. Perhaps it just needed more time for adjustment.

Aaron seems to make what I’d call a British sound - fairly fat sound, even across the registers, and with a pronounced vibrato, and he seems to play at a decent volume, in contrast to some of the new virtuosos who are very delicate and precise. I prefer a more dramatic Bel Canto style, personally.

[Magikarp]

One final thing I forgot to mention, the Adams is £2000 cheaper for exactly the spec I want than a standard off-the-shelf Besson Prestige.

I’d guess the reason they’re not being taken up by dealers is the margin must be smaller.

[Magikarp]

I’ve been told by the dealer that the E2 should be arriving at some between the middle and end of April. This is exciting!

[davewerden]

I’ve been told by the dealer that the E2 should be arriving at some between the middle and end of April. This is exciting!

Exciting times - keep us posted!

[Magikarp]

I will be collecting this on Tuesday. I cannot wait. It looks, from the photos, exactly as good as I hoped it might.

[Magikarp]

I have it!

It is absolutely incredible and precisely what I was hoping it would be. It feels preposterously well constructed, monstrously weighty, and whilst different ergonomically to what I am used to it won’t take much getting used to.

The intonation is remarkable: top F and G are absolutely in tune, with no assistance required.

I have some intonation “unlearning” to do - compensating for the foibles of Besson instruments won’t work on this thing.

It is very, very heavy too, so my 16 mile marching job I have on Saturday will not feature this hooter - the truly dreadful 967GS I have borrowed will have to suffice.

I have taken lots of photos for anyone who is interested.

[RickF]

Congratulations on your new horn! Sounds really great.