Alto or Tenor Trombacello by Graves & Co.
Brass instruments with valves were still a novelty when
this sort of instrument was first gaining popularity. The
prototypes for this instrument with double piston valves
were first made in Germany and similarly proportioned
instruments in France and England utilized Stoelzel
valves as we are accustomed to seeing on cornopeans or
cornets a pistons. The main weakness, compared with
Saxhorns and other later valve instruments was the very
small bore diameter (.425") which limited the volume
and tone quality. This alto horn was made by Graves &
Co. of Winchester, New Hampshire in about 1845. The
origins of the name "trombacello" is not known, but it
was used by Graves, Harvey and Alan Dodworth and
other Americans at that time including a few composers.
To further confuse the issue, the same authorities tended
to use the terms "ebor (or hibo) corno" and "neo cor"
describing Eb alto instruments. Bob Eliason, our
premier authority on early American brass instruments,
has concluded that this alto instrument should be called
"trombacello" along with the instruments in Bb bass.
American makers were late in producing these, probably
not before 1840, and the Saxhorns and cornets
dominated the brass bands within a few short years.
This fact of history makes surviving examples extremely
rare. There are only 24 instruments with double piston
valves made in the US known by me at this time. The
only other alto similar to this is in the Henry Ford
museum. Another Graves instrument of this sort is a
post horn or small trumpet shown here. Other makers
were E.G. Wright, Allen & Co. and Isaac Fiske. This
instrument came to light just a few years ago in an
antiques auction in Sacramento, California and now
resides in Mark Elrod's collection.
The restoration was straightforward, being in a better
state of preservation than it first appeared to be. Aside
from many dents, it had several splits in the tubing. The
most difficult to patch was the curved part of the
mouthpipe. This instrument is still quite playable,
although as expected, is restricted by its small bore.
Click on images for larger views.
this sort of instrument was first gaining popularity. The
prototypes for this instrument with double piston valves
were first made in Germany and similarly proportioned
instruments in France and England utilized Stoelzel
valves as we are accustomed to seeing on cornopeans or
cornets a pistons. The main weakness, compared with
Saxhorns and other later valve instruments was the very
small bore diameter (.425") which limited the volume
and tone quality. This alto horn was made by Graves &
Co. of Winchester, New Hampshire in about 1845. The
origins of the name "trombacello" is not known, but it
was used by Graves, Harvey and Alan Dodworth and
other Americans at that time including a few composers.
To further confuse the issue, the same authorities tended
to use the terms "ebor (or hibo) corno" and "neo cor"
describing Eb alto instruments. Bob Eliason, our
premier authority on early American brass instruments,
has concluded that this alto instrument should be called
"trombacello" along with the instruments in Bb bass.
American makers were late in producing these, probably
not before 1840, and the Saxhorns and cornets
dominated the brass bands within a few short years.
This fact of history makes surviving examples extremely
rare. There are only 24 instruments with double piston
valves made in the US known by me at this time. The
only other alto similar to this is in the Henry Ford
museum. Another Graves instrument of this sort is a
post horn or small trumpet shown here. Other makers
were E.G. Wright, Allen & Co. and Isaac Fiske. This
instrument came to light just a few years ago in an
antiques auction in Sacramento, California and now
resides in Mark Elrod's collection.
The restoration was straightforward, being in a better
state of preservation than it first appeared to be. Aside
from many dents, it had several splits in the tubing. The
most difficult to patch was the curved part of the
mouthpipe. This instrument is still quite playable,
although as expected, is restricted by its small bore.
Click on images for larger views.
