Alto Trumpet

[hup_d_dup]

I recently bought a Getzen alto trumpet (in F, with an alternate Eb slide).

The bore on this instrument is quite small for its length. The bore is about the same as my Xeno Bb, even though it is pitched a forth or fifth lower. In fact the Getzen valves fit into the Xeno with room to spare: the Xeno valves are too big to fit into the alto casings.

As you might suspect, the instrument has a rather stuffy feel to it. I suppose I will get used to it, but I wish the bore was larger.

Does anyone know the thinking behind this design? it is also interesting to note that the Getzen bass trumpet also has a relatively small bore.

Hup

[etc-etc]

Perhaps this was built with baroque trumpets in mind.

For example, Matthew Parker Trumpets builds a Natural Trumpet based on those of J.L. Ehe II of Nurnberg, circa 1700.



The description states that

"The small bore is the authentic bore and is a bigger step from the modern trumpet. Trumpets in this bore are available with the 4 hole system or as a hole-less trumpet using 'bits' to tune."

Of course, the next question is, where do you measure the bore in a natural trumpet - definitely, not at the second valve crook (because there is none).

In any case, you might want to find a mouthpiece that matches the horn.

[DH]

One of the standard trumpets in the late 19th century was a low F trumpet. I have a Bach low F trumpet, but the bell and bore make it more of an alto trumpet. The F trumpet from the 19th century did have a smaller bore than my Bach and the bell was probably closer to our Bb bell than the larger bell on my Bach low F.

I haven't seen a Getzen but it seems unlikely to me it would be trying to be a 19th century F trumpet. More like completing the trumpet family with low F trumpet and a Bass trumpet

[Brassnose]

On German and Austrian ebay these show up quite often, although most of them are rotaries. I have no music historical knowledge, so I cannot comment on their origin but if played well they do sound nice.

Over here they are mostly referred to as Eb bass trumpet, which technically is not correct, your term alto trumpet is spot on.

I like to think one could have a trumpet section mimicking a big band saxophone section with two Eb, two Bb, and an alto trumpet (even though that would shift the whole section up by one octave compared to the saxophones, of course).

I would say this is an Eb bass trumpet:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=v8KgFyJymEs
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2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[etc-etc]

You could ask Brett Getzen (Brett often posts on TH under the name Getzen), or Adam Getzen (TH name: "Adam R. Getzen") to resolve this question.

[THE BD]

I've had a Conn 50B Eb Alto trumpet for years. Incredibly stuffy and doesn't play particularly well. never seen anything written for it other than some ancient charts written for a college band that used it very briefly. I have yet to find any musical need for it that couldn't be better played on another instrument.
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Martin D Williams

Yeah, I did that!

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