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Thread: A new "Backup" euphonium??!!

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2014
    Location
    Netherlands
    Posts
    338
    I have my Willson and '79 Sovereign, I got the Willson first and the Sovereign later when I was... 19-ish? Because I was playing in a community band in my university city and back at my parents' local community bands. Especially early on I was travelling by train almost every week along with my other stuff, so taking a eupho in addition to that was not really an option, so I got the Sovereign so I could always leave one instrument at my parents to play in the weekends, and the other one at my dorm. It also meant I always have another instrument to play on when one of the two is gone for maintenance.

    In the case of my baritones, I got my New Standard to play in one of the community bands around my parents' town since I *really* needed a compensated one for the pieces we play, and later on I got the Sovereign which is a band-owned instrument. So I still have the New Standard in the back of the closet just in case... or when I have to go marching
    Euphoniums
    2008 Willson 2960TA Celebration
    1979 Boosey & Hawkes Sovereign (Round Stamp)
    Mouthpiece: Denis Wick SM4
    Baritone
    1975 Besson New Standard
    Mouthpiece: Courtois 10

  2. Quote Originally Posted by Matt Summers View Post
    Ok. I’ll bite.

    Backup - 1973 Besson
    Matt,

    I assume this has been your regular horn for years. Is it similar (or identical) to the one that Phil Franke used for many years? Large shank or medium shank?

    Doug
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  3. Hi Doug-

    Up until a month ago, the Besson had been my go-to outside of work. My large receiver '73 and Phil's '75 were the same model (though his has "PDF" engraved on the front of the second valve casing). I used it as my primary concert instrument in the Marine Band from 2005-2014, for exactly that reason.

    My other work horns there are a 1997 YEP-642 that was on concert duty from 1997-2005 and is now my marching horn, and a large receiver Willson 2900 bought by the band in 2014 as my current concert instrument. Mark Jenkins has dibs on that one already. My marching/ceremonial instrument for 1997-2005 was Mike Colburn's (medium) concert 2900 that he played on "Golden Age of Brass - Vol.3, and that one is now back in his hands.

  4. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Matt Summers View Post
    Then on to baritones

    1980’s Besson Sovereign 3-valve comp
    I love to see a picture of this.
    DANA


    Meet the Family
    Junior - Euphonium - 1906 - Henry Distin Mfg.
    Hastings - Trombone - 1952 - Boosey and Hawkes
    Bramwell - Euphonium - 1988 - Besson/Boosey and Hawkes (BE967)
    Margaret - Baritone - 2015 - Sterling1050HS
    Albert - Eb Bass - 2023 - Dillon 981S


    New York Staff Band - 2nd Baritone - 1991-1994
    Philadelphia Freedom Band - Euphonium
    Lancaster British Brass Band (all hail the 2nd baritone) - 2022-

  5. Quote Originally Posted by Matt Summers View Post
    Hi Doug-

    Up until a month ago, the Besson had been my go-to outside of work. My large receiver '73 and Phil's '75 were the same model (though his has "PDF" engraved on the front of the second valve casing). I used it as my primary concert instrument in the Marine Band from 2005-2014, for exactly that reason.
    Matt,

    I seem to recall that when Ryan McGeorge joined the band he had a Hirschbrunner, but he started playing a Sovereign 968. Did he use the 968 in order to blend better with the older Bessons that you and Phil were using? BTW, I first met Ryan in Boston at the US premiere of Blast! in the Wang center. Totally blown away by that performance. Didn't catch up with him again until the 2007 Falcone when he was in the US Marine Band Tuba/Euph Quartet.

    Of course, this has nothing to do with backup horns.

    Doug
    Adams E3 0.60 Sterling bell - Prototype top sprung valves
    Concord Band
    Winchendon Winds
    Townsend Military Band

  6. #16
    I talked to Ryan as he was picking a horn for the band not long after he won the audition - (I was his successor in Blast - talk about big shoes to fill) - he had played a Hirsbrunner up to that point, but at the time, he felt that new Hirsbrunner horns at the time weren't quite what he was after. I suspect the lighter 968 may lend itself better to some of the lighter jazz/small ensemble playing he does (although I suppose if it wasn't a good fit inside the band, he wouldn't be playing it regardless)

    Quote Originally Posted by daruby View Post
    Matt,

    I seem to recall that when Ryan McGeorge joined the band he had a Hirschbrunner, but he started playing a Sovereign 968. Did he use the 968 in order to blend better with the older Bessons that you and Phil were using? BTW, I first met Ryan in Boston at the US premiere of Blast! in the Wang center. Totally blown away by that performance. Didn't catch up with him again until the 2007 Falcone when he was in the US Marine Band Tuba/Euph Quartet.

    Of course, this has nothing to do with backup horns.

    Doug
    Mike Taylor

    Illinois Brass Band
    Fox Valley Brass Band

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Varese,Italy
    Posts
    385
    As a backup horn for the Prestige I have a Besson New standard 3 valve comp. of 73' that I use mainly for parades and marching services. It has a great sound, 1.5kg less weight and is suited to play 99.999% of the music I find myself playing with the wind bands I play. In the eventual very rare case in which there are parts that require notes below the F# I always have the French C Tuba at my disposal which can very well compensate for this eventuality.
    2007 Besson Prestige 2052, 3D+ K&G mouthpiece; JP373 baritone, 4B modified K&G mouthpiece; Bach 42GO trombone, T4C K&G mouthpiece; 1973 Besson New Standard 3 compensated valves, 3D+ K&G modified mouthpiece; Wessex French C tuba, 3D+ K&G modified mouthpiece.

  8. #18
    My backup horns are finding someone willing to let me borrow theirs!
    Steven Vaughn, D.M.A.
    Professor of Tuba & Euphonium, University of Northern Colorado

    Principal Tuba - Fort Collins Symphony
    Euphonium - Fountain City Brass Band

    Eastman 836 CC Tuba
    Meinl Weston 2182W F Tuba
    Besson 2052 Euphonium

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