Kamarag Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I'll use this post as an excuse to ask: why are "mellophones" called that in the first place? As opposed to "Altos" or "Tenors", to match the other names? It's from the instrument they evolved from, the mellophonium. Stan Kenton made them famous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 It's from the instrument they evolved from, the mellophonium. Stan Kenton made them famous. Thanks. Wikipedia is not very helpful on this subject: the mellophonium (and Kenton's use of it) is discussed in the "mellophone" article, but the article's general implication is that the term "mellophone" was used earlier for an instrument that looked more like a French horn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corpsband Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I'll use this post as an excuse to ask: why are "mellophones" called that in the first place? As opposed to "Altos" or "Tenors", to match the other names? http://www.alsmiddlebrasspages.com/mellophone/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 (edited) Wow folks, the obvious seems to evade everyone here: A Yamaha representative has a hard time approaching a band director trying to sell that director the same model "contra" used by Crown, but has a a better chance to sell the horn if he states it as the same "tuba" used by Crown. Edited July 20, 2012 by Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitedawn Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Tubas are musical instruments. Contras are... not. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.E. Brigand Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 http://www.alsmiddlebrasspages.com/mellophone/ Wow. Lots of fascinating (if somewhat disorganized) information on that site. But clearly the term "mellophone" long predates the mellophonium. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smf Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 I prefer sop and contra, it's the choral director in me. I've called bari's tenors and mello's alto for kicks. On a side note, I dislike when people call Euphoniums, Baritones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLD Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 It may be contra, but when the caption head is screaming from the scaffolding, he's usually yelling, "hey tubas....!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRASSO Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Tubas are musical instruments. Contras are... not. You have a point. To the rest of the non musical world, the " Contras " were a Nicaraguan Guerilla Movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 As long as it's drum corps, they're contras. Key be ######. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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