Brass musicians often use mutes inserted into their instrument's bell to muffle and alter the tone. However these accessories are quite expensive for tubas due to the size, so babies are substituted in the interest of economy. While some tuba baby mutes do have a drawback due to excessive squirming which may result in a stuck mute, there can be musical advantages of adding a high descant part if the child can sing. And given enough training, they also can hold the music.
This image of a proud father and son is taken from a glass plate negative, 108mm x 112mm in size. There are no marks for their identities, date, or place. Though the bandsman's collar does have a badge with initials, the focus is unclear. The camera lens did pick up the ornate engraving on the silver tuba. The child wiggled.
So this photo must forever remain
timeless — tempo senza tempo.
timeless — tempo senza tempo.
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Another disadvantage to the baby tuba mute is that one size does not fit all. Inevitably the mute out grows the instrument leaving the player at a disadvantage unless he can produce more. Here we see two novel solutions for baby tuba mutes. The one on the left clearly is no longer a good fit but it seems it could double on cornet. The one on the right is smaller and has been stuffed into a helicon, sometimes nicknamed a "rain-catcher". It is possible that the two bandsmen holding it are actually attempting to extract the baby tuba mute.
The fathers, and I think uncles and grandfathers too, are members of the Banda Verde of Sterling, Illinois. Their large format photo appeared on this blog in July 2010. The band of 17 musicians (and two young apprentices) are posed in front of Sterling's town bandstand for a patriotic event that involved the G.A.R. – The Grand Army of the Republic or Union Army veterans.
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| Sterling, IL Standard August 24, 1905 |
I have since uncovered more history of the band which played their first concert in 1905. I believe this photo dates from September 1906 based on several reports in the Sterling newspaper for a G.A.R. reunion.
The musicians were union members of the American Federation of Musicians as marked A. F. of M. on the bass drum. Their uniforms were in fact dark green with black braid trim.
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The tuba player and his son were part of several glass plate negatives found listed in the same estate sale. I acquired this extra negative of the same father and son because it is a beautiful photograph.
The location of the rowboat, the date, and the names are all unknown.
But the photographer holding the camera was mother. She had a good eye, I think.
But the photographer holding the camera was mother. She had a good eye, I think.
This is my contribution to Sepia Saturday.
Click the link to see how other people are bringing up baby.
Click the link to see how other people are bringing up baby.
