Sarrusophone

What it means

The sarrusophone is a wind instrument of metal with a conical bore and a double reed. It thus combines the tone production of the oboe and bassoon family with a metal body and a key arrangement resembling that of the saxophone. It was built in the nineteenth century in a whole family from soprano to contrabass register; practically only the contrabass instrument has survived. It is notated transposing, with the pitch changing according to size.

Musical use

The family was intended for military and outdoor wind-band music, where wooden double-reed instruments are too quiet and too delicate; the metal instrument was meant to sound more powerful and be more robust. In this role it was widespread for some time. In art music, above all the contrabass sarrusophone appears in French scores around 1900, where it takes on or complements the task of the contrabassoon; its sound is more direct and sharper in doing so. Today such parts are almost always performed on the contrabassoon, because instruments and players are rare. The term remains important for understanding the orchestration of those works.

Performance practice

Whoever plays such an instrument usually comes from the bassoon or contrabassoon; the fingering differs and must be learned specifically. The reed is large and demands much air with a loose embouchure — too firm lip pressure chokes the response, which is sluggish in the low register anyway. Start early, so that the tone stands in time. Check pads and airtightness carefully, since the instruments are usually old and leaks make the low register unusable. Suitable reeds are hard to obtain and are usually adjusted oneself; plan a supply. Clarify early within the ensemble which instrument is actually available.

Bear in mind that instruments of this kind are usually historical and maintenance is a task of its own: pads and springs do not meet today's standards, and specialist workshops are rare. Check the airtightness before every rehearsal. Whoever comes from another double-reed instrument should carefully adjust the embouchure and begin with long notes. Clarify early in the orchestra whether the instrument is available, and otherwise decide deliberately on an alternative, instead of leaving the question open until the final rehearsal.