Sarrusophone
The sarrusophone is a family of metal double-reed conical bore woodwind instruments, typically constructed from brass, that produce a loud, penetrating tone blending characteristics of the oboe and saxophone.[1] Patented in 1856 by French instrument maker Pierre-Louis Gautrot and named after bandmaster Pierre-Auguste Sarrus, the instrument was designed as a durable, weather-resistant alternative to wooden double-reed instruments like the oboe and bassoon for outdoor military and concert bands.[2][3] The sarrusophone family includes soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, bass, and contrabass models, each featuring a double reed and keywork with fingering similar to the saxophone, though its reedy timbre is harsher and more robust.[4][1] Early production faced legal challenges from Adolphe Sax, who claimed infringement on his saxophone design, but a 1867 court ruling affirmed the sarrusophone's distinct tone and construction.[2] It gained popularity in late 19th- and early 20th-century European bands, with manufacturers like Couesnon producing models such as the 1904 contrabass variant in nickel- or silver-plated brass for enhanced volume in large ensembles.[2][4] Composers including Igor Stravinsky, Maurice Ravel, Paul Dukas, and Frederick Delius incorporated the sarrusophone into orchestral works, such as Stravinsky's Threni and Dukas's The Sorcerer's Apprentice, where it provided powerful low-register support often now substituted by the contrabassoon.[1][4] In jazz, it appeared in Sidney Bechet's 1924 recording of "Mandy Make Up Your Mind," highlighting its versatility beyond classical contexts.[3] Though largely obsolete today and considered a museum piece due to the saxophone's dominance and the instrument's challenging reed maintenance, restored examples continue to be performed in niche settings, preserving its historical role in wind music.[4][2]History
Invention and Naming
The sarrusophone was invented and patented in 1856 by Pierre-Louis Gautrot, a French instrument maker based in Paris who operated the firm Gautrot-Marquet.[4][1] Gautrot developed the instrument as a family of double-reed woodwinds, with initial prototypes featuring a metal construction and keywork designed to produce a powerful tone suitable for ensemble settings.[2] The patent covered a range of sizes intended to function as a cohesive section, emphasizing durability and projection over the traditional wooden builds of similar instruments.[3] Gautrot named the instrument after Pierre-Auguste Sarrus (1813–1876), a prominent French bandmaster and chief musician of the 13th Infantry Regiment, whom he credited with advising on its design to enhance outdoor performance capabilities.[1][3] Sarrus's input focused on adapting the instrument's acoustics for greater volume without sacrificing the reedy timbre characteristic of oboe-family sounds.[4] The sarrusophone was specifically created to replace oboes and bassoons in military bands, where these wooden double-reed instruments often lacked sufficient carrying power for open-air environments.[5][3] By employing a conical bore within a metallic body, it achieved a louder output while preserving the double-reed quality, making it ideal for marching and regimental use.[2] This innovation emerged amid intense rivalry in the mid-19th-century Parisian instrument trade, as Gautrot sought to counter the rising popularity of Adolphe Sax's inventions, including the saxophone, leading to subsequent legal disputes over patent similarities in fingering and construction.[6][4]Early Production and Adoption
Production of the sarrusophone began in 1856, shortly after its patent by French instrument maker Pierre-Louis Gautrot, who manufactured the initial instruments at his firm in Château-Thierry.[1][2] Gautrot's company, originally focused on brass instruments, expanded to include this new double-reed family to meet demands for louder woodwind options in outdoor settings. By the late 19th century, production continued under Couesnon & Cie, which had absorbed Gautrot's operations; examples include a 1904 contrabass model that exemplifies the firm's brass construction techniques.[2] In the United States, adoption came later through C.G. Conn, which produced the EE♭ contrabass sarrusophone starting in 1921 as model 16V, though output was limited to just a few years.[7][8] These American instruments were designed for band use, reflecting Conn's growing saxophone lineup, but remained rare compared to European models. The sarrusophone saw rapid adoption in European military bands during the 1860s and 1870s, particularly in France, Italy, and Spain, where it replaced or supplemented oboes and bassoons for greater projection in open-air performances.[1] French regimental bands were among the earliest and most prominent adopters, integrating the instrument to enhance low-register power in brass-heavy ensembles.[3] In the United States, uptake was more limited, with notable use by John Philip Sousa's band beginning in 1921, which featured the Conn model for a period.[9] Production reached its height from the late 19th century through the early 1910s, driven by military demand across Europe, but declined sharply after World War I as bands favored simpler alternatives like saxophones.[1] The instrument's high manufacturing cost and mechanical complexity—stemming from its metal body and extensive keywork—contributed to its limited distribution and eventual obsolescence beyond specialized contexts.[10]Design and Construction
Sizes and Ranges
The sarrusophone family comprises nine standard sizes, spanning from high to extremely low pitches to accommodate various ensemble roles, particularly in military bands where they provided double-reed voicing across the spectrum. These include the sopranino in E♭, soprano in B♭, alto in E♭, tenor in B♭, baritone in E♭, bass in B♭, and contrabass in EE♭, C, or BB♭. Each size is a transposing instrument, with notation adjusted to treble clef for consistency, and their ranges generally mirror those of corresponding saxophones while employing double reeds for a brighter, more projecting tone suitable for outdoor performance.[11] The following table summarizes the standard sizes, their keys, transposition intervals (how the sounding pitch relates to written notation), and typical sounding ranges, based on historical models:| Size | Key | Transposition (sounding relative to written) | Typical Sounding Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sopranino | E♭ | Minor 3rd higher | e♭⁴ to e♭⁶ (two octaves) |
| Soprano | B♭ | Major 2nd lower | B♭³ to B♭⁵ (two octaves) |
| Alto | E♭ | Major 6th lower | E³ to E⁵ (two octaves) |
| Tenor | B♭ | Major 9th lower | B♭² to B♭⁴ (two octaves) |
| Baritone | E♭ | Octave + major 6th lower | E² to E⁴ (two octaves) |
| Bass | B♭ | Two octaves + major 2nd lower | B♭¹ to B♭³ (two octaves) |
| Contrabass (EE♭) | EE♭ | Two octaves + major 6th lower | E¹ to E³ (two octaves) |
| Contrabass (C) | C | Three octaves lower | C¹ to C³ (two octaves) |
| Contrabass (BB♭) | BB♭ | Three octaves + major 2nd lower | A♭⁰ to A♭² (three octaves) |