Klarinet Archive - Posting 000716.txt from 1998/02

From: Robin Fairbairns <Robin.Fairbairns@-----.uk>
Subj: Re: Ophicleide?
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 1998 04:24:27 -0500

> Actually, it is a "keyed serpent." The old serpent is essentially the bass
> version of the cornet, a "brass" instrument with fingerholes. The serpent
> has a cup-shaped mouthpiece, like a brass instrument, and six fingerholes.
> The fingerholes are positioned more "where you can reach them" than "where
> they do the most good, acoustically", which makes the instrument very hard
> to play in tune.

the only serpent i've ever played with was definitely made of wood --
are you suggesting that it was a `brass' instrument (as were the
ophicleids on the japanese web address posted yesterday), or simply as
in its rather gross `brass-instrument-type' mouthpiece?

thurston dart told our music club sec. that our trombonist "would have
no trouble with it". our trombonist had different ideas...

robin