E. A. Lefebre - Dorn Pub

1 F or the next couple of issues, I would like to divert the discussion of saxophone design to a review of the manufacturing history of a few prominent at which time he established an instrument manufactur- ing company bearing his name. The instrument that Buescher built for Lefebre was essentially a copy of American makers. Tracing their evolution and an Adolphe Sax horn, and Lefebre was eventually contributions gives us a good perspective on persuaded to join the Conn company, where he how saxophones evolved, and I believe it was employed in the saxophone department from is well worth noting some of their experie- 1890 until 1901. In 1901 Lefebre again took ments and giving due consideration to revis- up concert work, continueing his playing career ing and utilizing some of their ideas.

2 Until 1911, when he died at age 77. We will begin our trip down saxophone Memory Lane with a look at two of the WORLD'S COLUMBIA EXHIBITION (1893). giants of the past, Conn and King, both of Conn exhibited alto and tenor models at the whom are sadly no longer making saxo- 1893 World's Columbia Exhibition under the phones. model name Wonder , and in 1894 advertised a line of Improved System saxophones which CONN included straight soprano, alto, tenor, and bari- For over one hundred years, the name Conn tone models. These instruments were available has meant the very finest in American-made E. A. Lefebre in silver plate with gold plated keys; nickel plate;. saxophones. In fact, Conn started making saxo- and polished brass. At the time the Wonder line of phones in the United States in 1875.

3 The legendary saxophones were being manufactured at Conn fac- models of the earlier part of the twentieth century are tory in Elkhart, Indiana, over 500 employees were at work in among the most prized and sought after among collectors various departments in the factory, with each department under and performers alike. As a tribute to the quality of construction the control of an expert saxophone builder. Eventually the Conn and design, vintage Conn saxophones are often seen today in factory employeed upwards of 1,000 workers (and 180,000 square the hands of top professionals as the instrument of choice , and feet of floor space) building band and orchestra instruments, and many of the innovations first pioneered by the Conn company are was known as the largest institution of its kind on the face of found on instruments produced today by manufacturers around the globe.

4 The world. CONN ELECTED TO CONGRESS (1892). FIRST SAXOPHONE BUILT IN THE USA C. G. Conn, the founder and owner of the company, was The very first saxophone built in the United States was built elected to the United States Congress in 1892, and introduced a at the Conn plant in Elkhart, Indiana, in 1889 for E. A. Lefebre , a bill which required that every United States Army regiment have saxophone virtuoso who had risen to international fame as a solo- its own band, and specified the instrumentation for the musical ist with the famous Sousa and Gilmore bands of that era. It was unit. As a result, military orders for Conn instruments boomed, the Bandmaster Gilmore, of New York, who invited Mr. Lefebre and in May, 1900, 150 Conn Wonder saxophones were deliv- to come to America.

5 Ered to the Army, and Mr. Lefebre was also a were received at the personal friend of none Schuylkill Arsenal by other than Adolphe Louis Seel. Sax, the inventor of the saxophone, and TRADE-MARKING. had previously used NEW SAXOPHONE. instruments supplied NAMES. to him by Sax himself. During this era, The original Conn Conn began trade- saxophone was actually marking names that constructed by Ferdi- designated various nand Gus Buescher, models. These included who was foreman at the Wonder (February 1, Conn factory and who 1891); New Wonder was employed by Conn (May 1, 1917); Pan from 1875 until 1895, American (January 29, Saxophone Journal 1. 1918); American First (February 5, 1918); THE CONN DESIGN LABORATORY. C. G. Conn (April 2, 1918); and Victor New The Conn design laboratory employed Wonder (October 15, 1918).

6 Several designers, principally Allen Loomis;. In 1911, Conn advertised a family of Hugh Loney; Paul Hardy; Russell Kerr;. saxophones that included a curved soprano Edward Gulick; and Leland Greenleaf. The (which replaced the previous straight legendary Santy Runyon also consulted with model); a C Melody; and a bass, in addition Conn on design matters. Loomis was known to the standard alto, tenor, and baritone for his innovative, often bizzare, designs, models. The ad mentioned an automatic many of which were never considered octave key (actually introduced some time practical enough to enter production. Gulick earlier) and a forked E flat mechanism. might best be remembered for his design of Only the alto and tenor models were keyed the locking pivot screw, a device which has to high F, the rest of the line was limited to frustrated repairmen for years.

7 High E flat. A 1915 advertisement referenc- es an improved octave mechanism; a front LATE 1920'S CONN SAXOPHONES. F key; a G sharp trill key; a lengthened G Conn saxophones in the late 1920's were sharp key, and a revised arrangement of the essentially an evolution of the earlier mod- left hand pinky table. The 1915 horns were els. There were, of course, improvements referred to as New Invention models, and in keywork (the cross-hatched G sharp key were awarded the Medal of Honor; a gold of 1925, for example), and a redesigned medal; a silver medal; and a bronze medal straight soprano in 1928. The Conn instru- at the Panama-Pacific Exhibition held in ments were considered the standard of San Francisco. excellence of the period, and a total redesign In an effort to increase international Conn Wonder Alto Saxophone was not needed.

8 Custom engraving and sales during this period, Conn offered saxo- various finishes were offered, and these are phones in both Low Pitch (A=440), and in High Pitch (A=457). among the most beautiful saxophones ever constructed. CONN CATALOGS (1916 and 1918) INTRODUCTING THE F MEZZO SOPRANO (1928). By 1916, Conn was advertising that the saxophone de- A surprising lapse of judgment was exhibited by Conn in partment has been quadrupled in size , and the 1918 catalog 1928, with the introduction of the F Mezzo Soprano. Although the references the introduction of a straight soprano in E flat and instrument had several unique features (left mounted bell keys, a straight soprano in C. This catalog also makes mention of the for example), there was simply no demand for a saxophone keyed Conn Microtuner and the Conn Resopad, both hailed as signifi- in F, and the vast majority of these instruments went unsold.

9 Cant advances. These horns are referred to by Conn as New Many, in fact, were later used in the Conn Repair School to train Wonder models, Conn saxophones of this era were seen with technicians. both soldered and drawn tone holes. The drawn tone holes are referenced by a patent engraved on the body tube (1,119,954 De- THE CONN-O-SAX IN F cember 8, 1914) which was actually held by William S. Haynes, The F Mezzo was quickly followed by the Conn-O-Sax, also the flutemaker, and licensed to keyed in F, but with an extended Conn. Rolled tone holes were range from written low A to high introduced around 1920, although Conn G. This strange instrument was straight tone holes were often found CONNQUEROR quickly rejected in the marketplace, for a few more years.

10 Alto Saxophone and both it and the F Mezzo were no longer offered by the factory after RE-INTRODUCTION OF Bb 1930. SOPRANO (1922). The 1922 catalog saw the re- A NEW ALTO SAXOPHONE. introduction of the straight B flat (1931). soprano and the Conn Vacuum pad, In 1931, a new alto was intro- which was designed to be installed duced which set the saxophone without adhesives. The straight world on its ear! The totally new neck C Melody also made its debut design carried over some of the in this year. During this period, great features of the past such Conn saxophones were often seen as rolled tone holes; Resopads;. with spectacular engravings, and Microtuners; and adjustable pivot considerable experimentation was screws; and added an entirely new carried out in manufacturing tech- mechanism which was far superior niques and design improvements.