Early British Trumpet Mouthpieces

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Early British Trumpet Mouthpieces Author(s): Eric Halfpenny Source: The Galpin Society Journal, Vol. 20 (Mar., 1967), pp. 76-88 Published by: Galpin Society Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/841505 Accessed: 29-11-2015 03:11 UTC

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ERIC HALFPENNY

Early British Trumpet Mouthpieces has its

in the fact that, of the nine known

survey origin THIS British trumpets,at least seven, possibly seventeenth-century

eight, have survivedwith mouthpiecesthat are eitheroriginalto or contemporarywith the instruments. Broadlyspeaking,the proof of this assertionlies in the physical attributesof the mouthpiecesthemselves,which are so unlikeanything with which we are now familiar,and yet are so clearlyinterrelatedin style,proportionsandtechnicaldetailthatwe areencouraged in the belief that they offer the firmestdirectevidencethat has yet come to light on this much-discussed matter. All of these instruments,exceptingthe missing Simon Beale of 1667, have now been examined,and completedata for the seven mouthpiecesis assembledherein.These rangein date from 1666 to c. 1700, the probablelatestlimit of WilliamBull'sworkinglife. It is to be regrettedthat no comparablematerialsurvivesfor the eighteenthcenturyso far as we know at present;but an abundance of nineteenth-century examplesleavesno doubt at all that so long as the classictrumpet-naturalor mechanized-in 6 ft F, crooking downwards,remainedthe standardorchestralinstrument,the type of mouthpieceassociatedwith it underwentvery little modification.A sufficientnumberof these later mouthpieceshas been examinedto warrantthe assumptionthat it representsa fair cross-sectionof the usageof contemporary players.The valueof thesefindingsmoreover receivesprettysolid affirmation from the fact that the elderThomas the Harper(1787-1853), greatestBritishtrumpeterof his time, publishedan exactrecordof his preferredmouthpiece,a full-sizemachine sectiondrawingof which appearedin his Instructions for the Trumpet, the that surrounds c. 1835. Considering celebrity Harper'sconcert in all is this a of playing contemporaryreports, piece first-handevidence thatno musicologistcan affordto ignore.Harper'sHandelian obbligatiwere played,it seems,on a mouthpiecewhichdifferedvery little,if at all, in essentialdetailfromthoseof the seventeenthcentury. Thereis nothingwhateveraboutthe Harperspecification thatwould have dismayedMatthiasShore,nor is there any indicationthat his leaningswere towardsthe small shallowcups and narrowgrainsso 76

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beloved of the modem textbook whenever the word clarinois in context. It is an exceedingly robust affair, cast and machined from a solid hunk of metal, that must have weighed between 5 and 6 ozs in its finished state. The massive bowl, recommended by Harper 'as laying steady on the lips and not requiring so much pressure as a light one' has the same broad square rim as the seventeenth century favoured, with the cup fully concave, sharp-edged at the rim and tangental to the grain. The width of the cup, though slightly scaleddown to suit an F-basedtrumpet at a' 440 or above, instead of a D-C trumpet at a' 415, is as large as any of the nineteenth-centuryexamples examined, while the grain diameter at 6 mm. is in the higher bracket for a mouthpiece of any age. Two further statementsby Harper in connection with this mouthpiece are of significance here: first, that he had been using it for twenty years and, second, that it could be used for trumpets of every description.There is therefore nothing esoteric about it whatever-it is a plain exposition of the performance-practice of a leading British trumpeter in the early nineteenth century, and thus presents a valuable check upon the data here assembled. The method adopted has been to borrow from Harper the idea of producing the seriesof section drawings that constitute the Appendix to this paper. The seven early mouthpieces that head the list (A-G) are also shown in profile and end (cup) elevation in Plates XIII-XVI, so that they are now fully recorded for the first time anywhere. The link between the seventeenthcentury and Harper'sideas is established by juxtaposing the mouthpiece of Bull No. 2 with his diagram from the Instructions, which has been re-drawn from the original (H). Two other mouthpieces of this type are shown (J, K). Another stage seems to have been reachedin the seriesL-O, all with much thinner-walled bowls-a reaction, one suspects,by later players from Harper'sideals. Two of these mouthpieces are known to have been used with F valved trumpetsin the mid-century. The remaining four (P-S) show, first the shortening of the shank and reduction of overall size as the long-tube trumpet gradually withdrew from the orchestralscene and reverted to its ancient military and ceremonial roles, while the last pair illustrate the blurred and compromised outlines imposed upon the trumpet mouthpiece by the practices of later players, under the influence of the comet and of the higher-pitched trumpets in Bj and A. In all drawings the following measurementsare appended: length, overall; of shank; of backbore. Depth of cup, diameter inside and outside of rim and of shank. Diameter of grain. The external decora77 This content downloaded from 141.210.2.69 on Sun, 29 Nov 2015 03:11:43 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

tion which is so markeda featureof Britishmouthpieceshas been faithfullyreproducedin all cases. The five mouthpiecesassociatedwith seventeenth-century silver instruments,viz. the Williamson,McCuir,Brock and Bull Nos I and3, arein everyway the mostmassivein the whole seriesandform a groupapartin the similarityof theirgeneralproportions. It seemsimpossible,fromthe evidencehereadvanced,to dogmatize on the old textbooksubdivisionof mouthpiecesinto clarinoandprincipaletypes by their dimensionsalone. Experimentsuggeststhat the biggerthe mouthpiecethe betterthe sound,and that anyonedeterminedto masterthe techniquecould acquirethe abilityto blow any note with any mouthpieceon any instrument.That he might do so with greaterease with one mouthpieceratherthan with anotheris muchmorelikelyto be due to training,habitandphysiognomythan to any a prioriand immutableorganologicallaw. In any event, the centuries,is by rangeof variation,overa periodof two-and-a-quarter no meansas great as theoristswould have us believe.The profiles in C. S. Terry'sBach'sOrchestra reproduced (1932),p. 25 for instance, arequiteludicrousdistortionsof fact.Of farmoresignificancearethe factorsthey sharein common,which show the continuingtradition of the classictrumpetfromthe pre-orchestral periodto the time of its the modem short-tube instrument. displacement by The closerscrutinyto whichthe sevenearlymouthpieceshavenow beensubjectedhas given the opportunityto reviseand correctwhere necessarysomeof the measurements publishedin previouspapers,and enablestheirtechnologyto be moreparticularly described. MOUTHPIECES

WITHOUT

BACKBORE

The firstpoint to emergeis that the Williamsonmouthpiece,so far from being a somewhathaphazardrestorationof a brokenoriginal, as describedin GSJXVI, p. 56, is in facta perfectlynormalrepresentativeof a totallyunsuspected genre.The associationof a sheetmetal tubular'shank'with a (presumably) castand turnedmouthpiececup is not a piece of technologythat the modem mind could have been expected to anticipate(Appendix,A). It means that this type of mouthpieceis virtuallywithouta backborein the modem sense,and thatinsteadof expandingfrom the grainto the distalend, thesethinwalledtubularshankstaperif anythingvery slightlythe reverseway, within as without,while the lower partof the cup is formedinto a tenonor spigot,brazedinto the tube, the internalfacebeing squared off so that the grainis shoulderedoutwardsabruptlyto the internal diameterof the shank. 78

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to the Externallythesemouthpieceshavea ratherplainappearance eye accustomedto moreconventionalturnedmouldingsandbalusters, but the line is relievedby a smallornamentalgarnishat the baseof the bowl, concealingthejoin betweenthe two components.In their irruptioninto the main tube, thesemouthpiecebowls square-ended areperhapsanalogouswith thoseof the comettandserpent,whichare demonstrablysimilar,and it is possiblethat this is a survivalof a very ancientpractice. Confirmationof the normalityof the Williamsonmouthpieceis now providedby the two Scottishexamples,both in perfectand untouchedconditionandalmostexactlyalikein essentials.Of these,the earlier,belongingto the McCuirtrumpet,is of brasswith a garnish of gilt metal.The long seamof the tubularshankis plainlyvisible, showingthatit is in factformedfromsheetmetal(PlateXV, a). Both thisandthe Brockhavea smallexpansionat the bottomof the cylindrically-bored grain,but retainthe shoulder(Appendix,C, D). The Brockmouthpieceis of solidsilver,andits garnishcarriesthe double rings alreadyfamiliaron the Williamson,showing that these latter were not casuallyassociatedas I had formerlysupposed,but are evidentlyplacedtherefor a purpose(seePlatesXIII,b andXV, b). A curiousfeatureof thismouthpieceis thatthe internalshoulderappears to comeexactlyat thejunctionof the garnishwith the bowl, with no spigot.It is not easyto explainthis assemblyby externalexamination alone. MOUTHPIECES WITH BACKBORE

If the Dudleymouthpiece(Appendix,B) is contemporary(1666)with the instrumenton which it is found, and has not sufferedany subsequentremodelling,it providesevidence that the more modem conicalbackborewas alreadyin use at the very beginningof our period.Nevertheless,its outwardappearance(PlateXIV, b) is early, with a plain,straight-walled shankand acanthus-pattern garnish.The 'order'of the turnedwork on the bowl is also earlyin style, having affinitieswith the mouthpieceof the missingBealetrumpet(GSJXVI, P1.V, a) andthe McCuir(P1.XV, a) amongits immediatecompany. Itspunysizecomparedwith the five hugesilvermouthpieces(Appendix, A, C, D, E, F) neednot in itselfimply modernity,sinceits proportions,apartfrom the thicknessand weight of the cup, are not unlikeBull No. 2 (Appendix,G, andP1.XIV, a), the only otherbrass trumpet,and it is possiblethat these cheaperinstrumentswere normally so equipped.It does, however, displaythe taperedbackbore whichis otherwiseto be foundonly on the threeundatedBull mouth79

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pieces,thatis to say, on the threelatestin the seriesunderconsideration (Appendix,E, F, G). In view, however,of the comparatively shortperiodcoveredby the series,it is perhapsreasonableto regard thismouthpieceas transitional betweenan earlieranda laterpractice; for it is quiteevidentthat,onceestablished, the taperedbackborecame to stayandis of coursepresenton everymodem cup mouthpiece.It seemsequallyclearthatwith the introductionof the solid-boredshank the appliedgarnishwas discardedand in its place there arosethose conventionsof columnarturningon the throatof the mouthpiece thatwere to reacha peakof elaborationin the earlypartof the nineteenth century.Nevertheless,we take the taperedbackboreof the trumpetmouthpieceso muchfor grantednowadaysthatit is not easy to imaginewhat an extremelytroublesomepiece of technologyit musthave beenbeforethe adventof power lathesand precisioncutting tools. It canhavebeenno meanfeatto drillout andreamto the depthof a Bull backbore(betweenabout70 and 80 mm.) on a taper of, say, 8.5 mm. to 5.0 mm., andit seemsimprobablethatthe process would have come into being except for a very good and pressing reason.That reason,it is suggested,mustbe connectedin some way with the more precisecentringof articulationin the higherregister, as this came more and more to be used. It is perhapsnot without significancethat Purcell'sfree deploymentof the solo trumpet,or of trumpets,or of trumpetsandkettledrumsas a unit of his festalscores becomesalmostcommonplace,afterabout 169o,by which time it is clearthatthe cone backborehadbecomean established technicalfact. It is doubtfulif contemporary with the greatest could, players except have ventured to the C that Purcell difficulty, up top occasionallycalls for on a mouthpieceof the olderpattern.A certainamountof experiencein playingon the Williamsontrumpetsuggeststhatmouthpieces with the tubularshankarepre-orchestral and suitableonly for signals or low-registerfanfaresof a principale type. Certainlythe Williamson will a sound of incrediblemagnificencein this mouthpiece produce register,which it cannotmatchfurtherup the scale.In fact,it might perhapsbe saidthatif evertherewere sucha thingas a trueprincipale mouthpiece,thenthisis it. The presenceof the chainringsfor keeping it tetheredto the instrumentwhen on 'field'duty supportsthisview: and indeedthe trumpetwas presentedto the Queen'sCollege with somethingapproachingthatfunctionin mind. The writer'sthanksare due to Mr RonaldLee, to the Provostand Fellows of the Queen's College, Oxford, to the Curatorsof the AshmoleanandLondonMuseumsfor theirkindassistance, andabove 8o

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a

PLATE XIII Trumpet Mouthpieces (Scale:F William Silver. Bull No. 3, (b) Anon., Silver (W (a) Ashmolean the Museumandof the Reproduced by courtesyof

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a

b

PLATE XIV Trumpet Mouthpieces(Scale:Full Size) (a) WilliamBull No. 2, Brass.(b) AugustineDudley, 1666, Brassa by courtesyof the LondonMuseum. Reproduced

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a

b

PLATE XV Trumpet Mouthpieces(Scale:Ful Brass and Gilt the Thomas McCuir, 1669, (showing brazedseamin the tub (a) Morris, reproduced Jocelyn by courtesyof the Most Hon (Photograph:

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PLATE

XVI

TrumpetMouthpieceby WilliamBull, No. I, Silver (Photograph: John Eglan.)

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all to the Most Honourable the Marquis of Bute for his courtesy in granting access to the Scottish trumpets in his possession. APPENDIX The followingsectiondrawingsarereproducedexactlyfull size. All essential measurements (in millimetres)areshownon eachfor easyreference. Drawing A The Queens'College,Oxford'Williamson'trumpet.Anon.,presented in 1666.Engravedwith CollegeArms(seeP1.XIII,b). Silver,with two carrying rings. Solid bowl, separatetubularshankwith garnish.The largestand earliestextantBritishmouthpiece.Cup cavity and grainpossiblyenlarged. Weight 3.40 ounces. B Augustine Dudley,London,1666.LondonMuseum(P1.XIV, b). Brass, with silver-linedbowl and garnish.Taperbackborewith slight cylindrical grain.Shortmouthpiece,possiblyof a type specificallyassociatedwith brass trumpets(c.f G, below).Bowl andrim possiblymodified. C Thomas McCuir,Glasgow,1669.TheMarquisof Bute (P1.XV, a). Brass; solidbowl, separatetubularshank,gilt garnish.Cylindricalgrain,with slight end expansion. D RobertBrock,Glasgow,n.d. The Marquisof Bute (P1.XV, b). Silver with two carryingrings. Solid bowl, separatetubularshank,with garnish. Shortcylindergrainwith conedexpansion. E WilliamBull,London,n.d. (No. 3). AshmoleanMuseum(P1.XIII,a). Silver,with turnedand mouldedthroat.Long, taperedbackboreand long cylindergrain.? in two parts.Weight4.87 ounces. F WilliamBull, London,n.d. (No. I), formerlyRonaldLee (Pl. XVI). Silver,with turnedand mouldedthroat.Long taperedbackboreand long cylindergrain,shoulderedinternally.? in two parts.The abovetwo mouthandproportions.The instruments with which piecesaresimilarin appearance in dateby aboutio/is they areassociated might,by theirstyle,be separated eachinstrument. years.A whole-tone(C-basso)crookaccompanies G William Bull,London,n.d. (No. 2). LondonMuseum(P1.XIV,a). Brass, with turnedand mouldedthroat.Long taperedbackbore,apparently in one with a brasstrumpiece.Shortpatternsimilarto B, above,andalsoassociated pet, which is probablyearlierthan eitherE or F (?1674).This instrument belongedat one time to ThomasHarper,junior,who seemsto haveinherited it from his father(d. 1853).The elderHarperappearsto have been much influencedby seventeenth-century practicesgleanedfrom his possessionof andit is heresuggestedthathis celebrated'improved'slide earlyinstruments, trumpetas madeby Kbhleris basedon the proportionsof seventeenth-and earlyeighteenth-century prototypes. H Thomas Harper(senior),c. I8I5. InhisInstructions for theTrumper Harper publisheda full-sizesectiondrawingof themouthpiecehe hadused'fortwenty yearspast'and recommendedfor use with 'Trumpetsof every description'. 81

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This has been redrawnfrom the original (BM.n.2202.c.), with measurements reducedto the form adoptedin this paper.The generalsimilarityof its proportions to those of G, above, will be apparent. J Anon.,in the writer'spossession.Foundin the workshop of MessrsHenry Keat and Sons, possibly a legacy from the extinct firm of KZihler(now Swaine, Adeney and Brigg). This is clearly a mouthpiece of Harper'srecommended model, with which it compares very closely. Brass, with silver mouthpiece rim. Weight: ounces. 5-75 K Butler,London. Property of Joseph Wheeler. This silver mouthpiece is associated with the short-model slide trumpet by James Power, illustrated GSJIX, P1. III, formerly known as the 'Regent's Bugle'. It appears to be related to H andJ, but shows some lightening of the weight of metal. L, M Anonymous mouthpieces in the writer's possession. N Anon., property of Joseph Wheeler. All of brasswith silver rims as on J, but considerablylightened in the bowls and with longer plain shanks.They probablyrepresentthe standardpracticeof the mid-nineteenthcentury. N was found associatedwith an early model 3-valve F trumpet by Charles Pace. An exactly similar mouthpiece is to be seen on a 4-fold E[ cavalry trumpet by K6hlerin the Rimmer Collection, Wigan. Both the instrumentand the mouthpiece bear the same regimental mark, showing that they have always been associated.Average weight: 2.75 ounces. 0 Kdhler,CoventGarden,in the writer's possession. Silver-platedmouthpiece of the foregoing pattern, but found associatedwith a plated F valved trumpet by Key & Co., 20 Charing Cross (No. 1338). Weight: 2.50 ounces. P Higham. Warwick County Museum. Silver-plated. With choke-bore grain. Associatedwith a 4-fold cavalry trumpet with ball, garnishesand garland, by K6hler, from Bristol. Q Kihler. Property of Joseph Wheeler. Brass with silver rim. Short duty trumpet model with choke-bore grain. (The 'choke-bore' of the above mouthpieces consists of a conical widening of the grain at the exit from the bowl. In both casesit appearsto impart a very smart, crisp attack to the sound produced.) R, S Anon., in the writer's possession. Silver-plated, with rounded rims and grains, showing the deteriorationof the species. R found associatedwith one of a pair of plated 2-fold ceremonialfanfaretrumpetsby Keat, bearing the Arms of Edward Aldham Leatham, High Sheriff of Gloucester, 189I-I9oo. Weights: R, 2.75 ounces; S, 2.25 ounces.

82

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