ophicleide
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ophicleide
ophicleide (ŏfˈĭklīd) [Gr.,=serpent with keys], brass wind musical instrument of relatively wide conical bore, largest of the keyed bugles; invented in 1817 by Jean-Hilaire Asté of Paris. It had from 8 to 11 keys and a full, loud tone; since its intonation was deficient, however, it was soon displaced in the orchestra by the bass tuba. Many composers scored for it before the tuba was available.
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The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.
Ophicleide
a wind instrument patented in 1817 by the Parisian master craftsman Halary (J. H. Asté). The ophicleide is a horseshoe-shaped, conical pipe with a cup-shaped mouthpiece at its narrow, spirally bent end. The bass ophicleide was sometimes included in symphony orchestras. (There were also alto and baritone ophicleides.) Although it was replaced by the tuba in the second half of the 19th century, the ophicleide is still used occasionally in France, Italy, and South America.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.