| Alto sarrusophone | |
| Image Capt: | Alto sarrusophone in E♭, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York |
| Background: | woodwind |
| Hornbostel Sachs: | 422.112 |
| Hornbostel Sachs Desc: | Double reed aerophone with keys |
| Developed: | Mid 19th century |
| Range: | Alto sarrusophone in E♭ sounds a major sixth lower than written.[1] |
| Builders: | ----Historical: |
| Articles: | Sarrusophones: |
The alto sarrusophone is the alto member of the sarrusophone family of metal double reed instruments. Pitched in E♭, its body is folded only once, and has a bocal that resembles the neck of a tenor saxophone.
Historically it was built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries principally by its inventor, Parisian instrument maker and his successor,, as well as Evette & Schaeffer (now Buffet Crampon) and Romeo Orsi of Milan. It is currently only available by custom order, from Orsi or German instrument maker Benedikt Eppelsheim.[2] [3]