http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphonium
The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonion, meaning "beautiful-sounding" or "sweet-voiced". The euphonium is a valved instrument, and nearly all models are piston valved, though German rotary valved models do exist.
A person who plays euphonium is sometimes called a euphoniumist.
Contents [hide]
1 Construction and general characteristics
2 Name recognition and misconceptions
3 History and development
4 Performance venues and professional job opportunities
5 College situation
6 Lists of important players
7 Important literature
8 Some famous band pieces with euphonium solos
9 The euphonium in orchestras
10 References
11 External links
[edit]
Construction and general characteristics
The euphonium is pitched in concert B-flat (Bb), meaning that when no valves are depressed the instrument will produce partials of the B-flat harmonic series. In the United States, music for the instrument is usually written in the bass clef at concert pitch (that is, without transposition), though treble-clef euphonium parts, transposing down a major ninth, are often included in school-level concert band music for the sake of students who have recently switched from the trumpet, or who play trumpet and are doubling on euphonium. In the brass band tradition, especially in the United Kingdom, euphonium music is always written this way. In continental European music, parts for the euphonium are sometimes written in the bass clef but a major second higher than sounding pitch.
Current professional models have three top-action valves, played with the first three fingers of the right hand, plus a "compensating" fourth valve found midway down the right side of the instrument, played with the left index finger. Beginner models often have only the three top-action valves, while some intermediate "student" models may have a fourth top-action valve, played with the fourth finger (the "pinky") of the right hand; such an instrument is shown in the above picture. Compensating systems are expensive to build, and there is in general a wide discrepancy between the costs of compensating and non-compensating models. For a thorough discussion of the valves and the compensation system, see the article on brass instruments.
The euphonium has an extremely broad functional range compared to cylindrical-bore instruments; professional players can commonly produce notes up to F six ledger lines above the bass clef or even higher, though fourth ledger line Bb is a normal limit for younger players. On the bottom end, the true (non-pedal) range of compensating four-valve euphoniums goes down to B-natural below the bass clef up to in professional hands, though if the fourth valve is non-compensating the lowest non-pedal tone available is C, a half-step higher. If the instrument has only three valves, E below the bass clef is the lowest non-pedal tone possible. On all models, however, pedal tones, the fundamentals of the instrument's harmonic series, are comparitively easily produced, and extend the range a further octave down, almost to the bottom of the piano keyboard.
As with the other conical-bore instruments, the cornet, flugelhorn, French horn, and tuba, the euphonium's tubing gradually increases in diameter throughout its length, resulting in a softer, gentler tone compared to cylidrical-bore instruments
