Euphonium

What's a Euphonium?

The Euphonium is a medium-sized, 3 or 4-valve, often compensating, conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument that derives its name from the Ancient Greek word εὔφωνος euphōnos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"

History

Euphonium, German baryton, brass wind instrument with valves, pitched in C or B♭ an octave below the trumpet; it is the leading instrument in the tenor-bass range in military bands. It was invented in 1843 by Sommer of Weimar and derived from the valved bugle (flügelhorn) and cornet. It has a wide conical bore resembling that of the tuba and is held vertically with the bell upward (in the United States the bell is often positioned to face forward on the instrument). It normally carries a fourth valve in addition to the essential three, in order to take the compass continuously down to the fundamental pitches below the bass staff.

Structure

Baritones and euphoniums are nearly identical in design. The main difference is the tubing, or bore size. The euphonium is conical; the tubing gradually gets bigger from the mouthpiece to the bell. The baritone is cylindrical; it maintains a consistent bore size throughout the major portion of the instrument. The baritone is also smaller and produces a brighter sound than the more solid, brassy timbre of the euphonium.

-Types of Euphoniums -

Compensating

The compensating euphonium is common among professionals. It utilizes a three-plus-one-valve system with three upright valves and one side valve. The compensating valve system uses extra tubing, usually coming off of the back of the three upright valves, in order to achieve proper intonation in the lower range of the instrument. This range being from E2 down to B♭1. Not all four-valve and three-plus-one-valve euphoniums are compensating. Only those designed with extra tubing are compensating. There were, at one time, three-valve compensating euphoniums available.

Marching

A marching version of the euphonium may be found in a marching band, though it is often replaced by its smaller, easier-to-carry cousin, the marching baritone (which has a similar bell and valve configuration to a trumpet). Marching euphoniums are used by marching bands in schools, and in Drum and Bugle Corps, and some corps (such as the Blue Devils and Phantom Regiment) march all-euphonium sections rather than only marching Baritone or a mix of both.