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Upright serpent
Jean-Baptiste Tabard
Lyon
after 1812
Inv.-Nr. 1591
Padded reed instrument exhibited in The Romatic Period
from the instrument collection Paul de Wit
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Photographer: Janos Stekovics
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This wind instrument's unusually-shaped bell gives it a highly individual and strange appearance. In the cavity of the dragon head's opened mouth is a tongue that vibrates when played. the ensuing dark, raw and bitter tone is in keeping with the instrument's appearance. Military bands of the 18th and 19th centuries used wide-bored(????) horns like this one to play bass lines. These bass horns came in many forms, but their tubing was often bent in a way similar to that of a bassoon, as is the case with the instrument here; indeed, another name for the upright serpent is "Russian bassoon". The upright serpent was heard mainly in France. Made of leather-covered wood with brass fittings, the instrument has the kettle-shaped mouthpiece characteristic of brass instruments. The marching player held the instrument so that the bell pointed upward.
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