Bonus day: Antoniophone / English Bass Horn / Schediphone / Sudrophone
Posted: Mon May 11, 2026 4:11 pm
Welcome to bonus day!
The Antoniophone was named after its inventor, Denis Antoine Courtois, Jr. (1867), who claimed that it "possessed more of the qualities of the human voice than any other instrument ever invented" (Patrick Gilmore testimonial, 1885). Although short-lived, the Antoniophone enjoyed some notoriety when a quintet of the curious S-shaped instruments was featured with members of Patrick Gilmore's band in the September 28, 1889, Supplement to "Harper's Weekly." A 1906 issue of "Holton's Harmony Hints" mentions that Gilmore's Band played "many instruments…of shapes that would be considered very curious today. The altos and tenors were Courtois instruments and made up in what was called the 'antonophone' [sic] model, the bell being brought down in the shape of the letter S and resting against the performer's knee while sitting." It is tempting to speculate whether or not it was about this time that Frank Holton acquired this particular example now preserved in the National Music Museum's collections in Vermillion, South Dakota. This particular baritone Antoniophone in B-flat/A (high pitch) was made in Paris by Antoine Courtois' successor, Auguste Mille, between 1880-1890.
Courtney of the National Music Museum.
The English Bass Horn in Bb. The bass horn evolved from the serpent around 1800, and was a popular band and orchestral instrument until the 1830s when it was displaced by the ophicleide ("keyed serpent"). The application of valves to low brasses made these awkward keyed instruments obsolete, though some remained in use in Italy until the early 20th century. Today their function is served mainly by tubas.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2scrdgC]
IMG_3461
The Schediphone made by Joseph Schediva, Ukraine. Bb euphonium. Brass, German silver, two independent mirror-imaged double-loop sets of tubing, one with a narrow trombone-like bore and bell, the other with a wide euphonium-like bore and bell, both bells pointing upward and forward, separate tuning slides after valve section (cylindrical and conical, respectively), fixed shared leadpipe, four rotary valves (1, ½, 1½, and switch from one instrument to the other), three-point-wing device, one stop pin, clock-spring return.
Courtesy of the National Music Museum.
IMG_3462
Baritone Sudrophone in C/Bb. The sudrophone is a brass instrument invented by the French instrument maker François Sudre (1844–1912). Its shape resembles that of an ophicleide. It was patented in 1892.
The sudrophone has a conical bore and three or four Perinet valves. Its length is 86 centimetres (34 in) and the bell diameter is 17 centimetres (6.7 in). The "valve" nearest the mouthpiece on the bell throat controls a silk membrane to create a nasal effect, which Sudre designed to make a sound like a cello or a bassoon. The instrument is very similar to the baritone horn and helicon. Acoustically these resembled the saxhorns, but the shape was different as the main tube was doubled back on itself, giving a vertical appearance reminiscent of an ophicleide. This design choice was made by Sudre to make the instrument stand out more amongst the primarily saxhorn-shaped brass instruments that were much more popular.
The unique feature of these instruments was the mirliton, a kazoo-like apparatus attached to the side of the bell with a membrane which vibrates sympathetically, creating a buzzing effect. The device membrane can be engaged or disengaged by the player, so it can also function as a normal saxhorn-like brass instrument.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2scwWCd]
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The Antoniophone was named after its inventor, Denis Antoine Courtois, Jr. (1867), who claimed that it "possessed more of the qualities of the human voice than any other instrument ever invented" (Patrick Gilmore testimonial, 1885). Although short-lived, the Antoniophone enjoyed some notoriety when a quintet of the curious S-shaped instruments was featured with members of Patrick Gilmore's band in the September 28, 1889, Supplement to "Harper's Weekly." A 1906 issue of "Holton's Harmony Hints" mentions that Gilmore's Band played "many instruments…of shapes that would be considered very curious today. The altos and tenors were Courtois instruments and made up in what was called the 'antonophone' [sic] model, the bell being brought down in the shape of the letter S and resting against the performer's knee while sitting." It is tempting to speculate whether or not it was about this time that Frank Holton acquired this particular example now preserved in the National Music Museum's collections in Vermillion, South Dakota. This particular baritone Antoniophone in B-flat/A (high pitch) was made in Paris by Antoine Courtois' successor, Auguste Mille, between 1880-1890.
Courtney of the National Music Museum.
The English Bass Horn in Bb. The bass horn evolved from the serpent around 1800, and was a popular band and orchestral instrument until the 1830s when it was displaced by the ophicleide ("keyed serpent"). The application of valves to low brasses made these awkward keyed instruments obsolete, though some remained in use in Italy until the early 20th century. Today their function is served mainly by tubas.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2scrdgC]
IMG_3461 The Schediphone made by Joseph Schediva, Ukraine. Bb euphonium. Brass, German silver, two independent mirror-imaged double-loop sets of tubing, one with a narrow trombone-like bore and bell, the other with a wide euphonium-like bore and bell, both bells pointing upward and forward, separate tuning slides after valve section (cylindrical and conical, respectively), fixed shared leadpipe, four rotary valves (1, ½, 1½, and switch from one instrument to the other), three-point-wing device, one stop pin, clock-spring return.
Courtesy of the National Music Museum.
IMG_3462Baritone Sudrophone in C/Bb. The sudrophone is a brass instrument invented by the French instrument maker François Sudre (1844–1912). Its shape resembles that of an ophicleide. It was patented in 1892.
The sudrophone has a conical bore and three or four Perinet valves. Its length is 86 centimetres (34 in) and the bell diameter is 17 centimetres (6.7 in). The "valve" nearest the mouthpiece on the bell throat controls a silk membrane to create a nasal effect, which Sudre designed to make a sound like a cello or a bassoon. The instrument is very similar to the baritone horn and helicon. Acoustically these resembled the saxhorns, but the shape was different as the main tube was doubled back on itself, giving a vertical appearance reminiscent of an ophicleide. This design choice was made by Sudre to make the instrument stand out more amongst the primarily saxhorn-shaped brass instruments that were much more popular.
The unique feature of these instruments was the mirliton, a kazoo-like apparatus attached to the side of the bell with a membrane which vibrates sympathetically, creating a buzzing effect. The device membrane can be engaged or disengaged by the player, so it can also function as a normal saxhorn-like brass instrument.
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2scwWCd]
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