The octavin is a woodwind instrument with a single reed and cone-shaped bore. It is said to be very similar to the saxophone especially in length and range but it also has its differences. Compared to the saxophone’s, the cone-shaped bore of the octavin has a smaller taper.
Construction
It has a similar shape with the bassoon with two parallel divisions attached at the base. A bell made of metal is at the top of one division and the mouthpiece is fastened to the other division’s top. It is constructed with wood and the only metal section is the bell. There are some octavins that resemble the tarogato yet with a smaller taper. These have wooden bells and are straight rather than conical.
It was created in C and B flat with a range of G?3 to G6. According to a piece of a writer known as Altenberg, there is a bass octavin which is an octave lower. Unfortunately, there is no such instrument that has been produced based on what we know.
History
The octavin was said to be invented by Julius Jehring around the time of 1890 but the patent rights belong to Hermann Jordan and Oskar Adler. Although Jeff Britting who is an American composer has made a sonatina for it, the instrument did not catch the heat and became an enormously scarce instrument. It is described by The New Groove Dictionary of Musical Instruments as an instrument that sounds the same as a soprano sax yet less pleasant.
Based on records, Cavaillé-Coll introduced it in France as a 2' Flûte Harmonique. At times, it was given the name octavin harmonique. It was also called the doublette and open flute. A few claim that it is the same as the superoctave but some object. The origins of the name of the octavin are not certain though there are some presumptions. As stated by Grove, octavin is listed as a synonym of ottavina by Venetian builders which date back from 1790.
What does it look like?
The odd shape of the octavin singles it out from the others. Like a bassoon it is somewhat folded and has two parallel straight bores attached at the underside. This structure is fitted for a bassoon because it becomes very long when straightened out but it is actually very peculiar for an instrument that is soprano-sized.
If you know what a bassoon looks like, then let us picture out the octavin like this. Visualize removing an entire twelve inches off the bassoon. Then, think about putting a cylinder with a mouthpiece of a regular clarinet at the top on one section and for the other section, imagine placing the alto-clarinet bell. That is how an octavin would roughly look like.
A change to the octavin
During the young twentieth century, it would seem that the odd shape of the octavin has caught the negative attention of a few instrument designers. It is would be strange right now but some straight octavins were created which made it look like a clarinet at first sight. But the conical shape gave it away. This cone-shaped bore causes the octavin, whether or not it is folded, to overblow at the octave. Its key scheme becomes simpler than the clarinet’s because of this.
The bugle is the simplest among brass instruments because it has no valves, slides, or other pitch-modifying devices. It is a wind instrument and controlling of the pitch is up to the player’s varying embouchure. Adjusting the mouth’s position and controlling how much wind goes through the bugle produces the tones.
It is the foundation for various other wind instruments and is groundwork for learning mouth control for playing instruments other than the bugle. Unfortunately, it can only play notes in the harmonic series.
Modern bugles are made of copper or brass and are nearly exclusive to the military. These are pitched in B flat just like the trumpet. The difference is that bugles have a wider conical bore and makes a large sound fit for the outdoors.
Introduction to the military
It was first used as a military signaling agent on the 1750’s. The Hanoverian light infantry or Jäger battalions utilized a half-circle copper horn with a flaring bore which was used by the leader called the Flügelmeiste. The bugle was then called the halbmondblaster, literally half moon blower.
The English light infantry also adopted this and they used the German flugelhorn which too the name of bugle horn. This is based on the Old French bugle which was derived from the Latin word buculus meaning bullock or castrated bull. It was pitches in D or C but could have been lowered to be using a curved crook.
History
The bugle first made its appearance in the medieval period. It was primarily constructed from a horn of a young bull and was played for military functions or for hunting. It is also considered as a predecessor of the contemporary flugelhorn. Some ancestors of the bugle are the Pless horn or Prince Pless horn, the bugle horn, and the post horn.
Originally, bugles had a coil-shape alike with the French horn and were for communication in hunts and for announcements. Based on its use, it is considered to be like the horn of modern automobiles.
Based on recorded history, bugles were used by officers in the cavalry to instruct soldiers when in battle. It was also mentioned in the bible when Moses was commanded by God to “make two bugles of hammered silver”.
As stated, the very first proven use of the bugle as a signaling device in the military was as the halbmondblaser in Hanover. Its shape was that of the letter U. Due to its shape, it was easily brought using a shoulder strap fastened to the bell and the mouthpiece.
In 1764, it spread to England and was increasingly acknowledged.
Bugles in the 19th century
Modifications on the standard bugle in the 19th century included valved bugles and keyed bugles. It was in England in the early 1800’s that the keyed bugles were invented with the copyright for the Royal Kent bugle by Joseph Halliday. It was very popular until the 1850’s and was played in compositions by a bandmaster of West Point’s the United States Military Academy Band, Richard Willis.
Uses of the bugle
Bugles are used for bugle calls which indicate the start of camp daily routines. These were also for assembling leaders and for announcing marching commands in camp.
The bugle developed further from its military foundation in the bugle and drum corps. Typically, it is pitched in G or B flat. There are usually mellophones placed in B flat brass lines which make tuning easy.
Boy Scout troops also use the bugle. Although not as many, Boy Scout calls are similar to many military calls.