Baritone sarrusophone

The baritone sarrusophone is the baritone member of the sarrusophone family of metal double reed conical bore wind instruments. Sometimes colloquially known as the combat bassoon, it is pitched in E♭ and has the same range as the baritone saxophone, and is about the same height as a bassoon.^[1] Its body is wrapped around only once, whereas the contrabass sarrusophone wraps around twice.

Baritone sarrusophone

Baritone sarrusophone in E♭, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Woodwind instrument
Classification	Wind Aerophone
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	422.112 (Double reed aerophone with keys)
Inventor(s)	Pierre-Auguste Sarrus (concept) Pierre-Louis Gautrot (patent)
Developed	Mid 19th century
Playing range
Baritone sarrusophone in E♭ sounds an octave and a major sixth lower than written.[1]
Related instruments
Bass oboe Heckelphone Lupophon Bassoon Baritone saxophone
Builders
Orsi (on request) Eppelsheim Historical: Couesnon & Co. [fr] Evette & Schaeffer Gautrot Orsi
More articles or information
Sarrusophones: Soprano Alto Tenor Baritone Bass Contrabass

Historically it was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries principally by its inventor, Parisian instrument maker Pierre-Louis Gautrot and his successor, Couesnon & Co. [fr], as well as Evette & Schaeffer and Italian manufacturer Orsi of Milan. The sarrusophone family was conceived to replace oboes and bassoons in military and marching bands, where their metal construction was more durable and easier heard in outdoor settings.^[1]

It is currently only made to order, by Orsi and the German instrument maker Benedikt Eppelsheim.^[2][3]

See also

• Sarrusophone