Monday, 6 February 2017

The recorder

You may have noticed the photo I used last Saturday to illustrate my story about my ancestry. It was a photo of my maternal grandfather playing some sort of instrument. I jokingly referred to it as a recorder, but of course I know it wasn't. That doesn't mean I do know what it is, because apart from a tuba and a saxophone I am a complete brass-instrument-ignoramus. So, when Millie and Walter commented that they thought it was a tuba, I felt I could be quite certain in my dismissal of that notion.

And then, on Sunday, I came across another photo of my grandfather with a musical instrument. And by the looks of it, while he was on his way to or from practice. Could this be the tuba??

11 comments:

  1. I have no idea, for me these are all trumpets !

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  2. Hari om
    Yes that 2nd shot is closer to a tuba... the 1st photo shows, I believe, a EUPHONIUM. An altogether less boystrous instrument!!! YAM xx

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    1. Oh no, it looks like I was wrong! The first one IS a tuba or something very similar and the second one is a sousaphone. Just like Cindy said. Dating a tuba player helps with some things...

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    2. ...ah yes sousaphone - that's why I said 'close to' as just couldn't recall the correct term for this member of the tuba family. The euphonium (sometimes called a baritone horn) is also a tuba - the difference is a matter of scale (physical and musical). The way your grandfather is holding it rather suggests the euph, the actual tuba generally being played in more upright position... but hey - all are good when played well!!! &*> Yxx

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  3. I haf no idea....we are guitar peeps in this house
    Loves and licky kisses
    Princess Leah xxx

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  4. Typed tuba into google, and the first looks like a tuba to me. Does he have a tire and something else in the second? I can't make it out.

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  5. The second picture probably is a Sousaphone which is a type of tuba that is usually played in a marching band. The first one is likely a tuba or could be a baritone horn which is slightly smaller than a tuba. Having played trumpet in high school I'm familiar with those brass instruments since they were always sitting behind me (plus I dated a tuba player for a while).

    Cindy

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  6. Mom is a Saxophone gal as in Kenny G, Acker Bilk.
    Hugs madi your bfff

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  7. My hubby played the sousaphone/tuba in his high school band. Fun photos.

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    1. I especially like the one of him on his bike.

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Any weighty (and not so weighty) comments are welcome!