| The first Perinet-valved trumpets were long, narrow bore "pea shooters" with a very bright, almost vulgar sound . . . and most orchestras used cornets!
Then, the wrap of the original F. Besson (of about 100 years ago) finally gave us a more rich and noble trumpet sound.
Although there are a very few trumpets today that are not derived from the F. Besson wrap, they are quite rare.
Vincent Bach was the first custom maker to clone a "Super Besson" in around 1924! Bach was a frustrated symphony trumpeter looking for a F. Besson (the brand he played) that didn't have leaky valves and other inconsistencies notorious on early F. Besson trumpets. Bach definately succeeded in making the first "Super Besson!"
About 15 years later ('39) Eldon Benge, of the Chicago Symphony, started making his own "Super Besson" . . . and one that was closer design-wise than the Bach. Like Bach, Mr. Benge only made a couple of horns a week . . . and also special order for specific musicians. He also succeeded, and many feel we'd all be playing BENGES today if Eldon hadn't tragically died only blocks from his home in an auto accident in 1960.
In '57 along came Mr. Schilke to make his own derivation of the famous Besson "wrap." He preferred different variations in leadpipe/tuning slide design but his horns were definately also variations of the Besson.
Today, virtually all the popular trumpets are made on a variation of the F. Besson wrap . . . with only rare exceptions.
No other design has influenced trumpets like the balky old F. Besson with that wonderful F. Besson/Bach/Benge/et al "sound!"
Sincerely,
Tom Turner |