Books › A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891 › scan 153
Scan 153
A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891
28 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 133. See the scan on archive.org.
1In the orchestra, for the production of special effects, or for solo playing the saxophone is of great value. First introduced in 1844 by M. Kastner in "Le dernier Roi de Juda," it was afterwards employed by Limnander in the opera of "Barbe Bleue." Meyerbeer, Massenet, and Ambroise Thomas have made use of the instrument. And in the last named composer's opera of "Hamlet," the value of the contralto saxophone, as a solo instrument, accompanied first by strings, and afterwards by three trombones and the bass saxophone, is especially evident. In the scene on the platform, in the same opera, when the spectre appears, the baryton saxophone, in combination with the cor anglais, produces an effect as weird as it is novel and appropriate to the surrounding scene.
3278.
4Soprano Saxophone, in b♭. By Mahillon and Co. This instrument is constructed of brass, and is furnished with 20 keys and touch-pieces. There are also two octave keys. The compass of the instrument is, in real sounds,
6[musical notation]
8to
10[musical notation]
12including all the chromatic intervals.
14Lent by Messrs. Mahillon and Co.
16279.
17Contralto Saxophone, in e♭. By Mahillon and Co. Of brass, with 20 keys and touch-pieces. There are also two octave keys. The compass of the instrument is, in real sounds,
19[musical notation]
21to
23[musical notation]
25with all the chromatic intervals.
27As the contralto saxophone is the instrument in most general use, it is thought best to describe it rather than any of the others
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