Early Trumpet By John Heald, Circa 1885

Shot on November 22, 2009 at Boutique De Son in Montreal. Kevin Dean demonstrates a perfectly preserved John Heald Trumpet. The instrument was made in Springfield Massachusetts, and bears the serial number 13, making this one of Heald's first trumpets, and as well an early example of trumpet in general.

John Heald apprenticed under the significant Civil War era builder Fiske, and began manufacturing his own high quality instruments in 1885. Heald's cornets and early trumpets show the exacting quality of the master builder Fiske's instruments, both in terms of their aesthetic finishing, as well as their remarkable playing characteristics. Some innovations are found on the slightly more modern Heald instruments, including thumb activated water keys, and instrument wrap and bore designs that we now recognize as the relatively modern trumpet.

This instrument functions perfectly, and has not sustained any damage or appreciable wear during its century and a quarter lifetime. It possesses a number of interesting features, including a straight through, gapless lead pipe, double telescoping tuning slide mechanism, and wide 'lazy' turns in the valve and tuning slides. These airflow patterns likely add to the warm cornettish timbre of the horn. Significantly, the tuning slide's wide radius differs from most examples of Heald trumpets, which have a smaller radius and generous taper. The main slide on this example is cylindrical, with all taper occurring in the lead pipe.

Pistons are made from a combination of solid nickle-silver and copper, and are not plated. Pistons have the feel and compression of a modern instrument, with finely finished pearl trim.

Intonation on the instrument is excellent. The trumpet is designed with a a slight elongation to the third valve slide in comparison to modern horns. This design was copied on Conn cornets from the first half of the 20th Century, and permits adequate lip tuning of C# and D, without the need for a third valve throw rod. As this horn has a straight through lead pipe with no venturi/gap, slotting is much like a cornet, with flexible shading and easy lip tuning properties.

The instrument is mated with its original beautifully finished gold-brass mouthpiece, which is surprisingly modern in its playing characteristics. From cup to tip, this is a perfectly sculpted and finished object, with an interesting pinkish color to the alloy. Shank shape and diameter is similar to a modern trumpet mouthpiece.

Kevin Dean is professor, and a founding faculty member of the Jazz program at McGill University's Schulich School of Music (http://www.mcgill.ca/music/).

More on Kevin Dean:
http://kevindeanmusic.com/
http://people.mcgill.ca/kevin.dean/

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[wideangleman]

There are three basic variations of design, this is the earliest, with the large looping tuning slide. The second version had a narrow tuning slide with the downward curving knuckle, and the third has a more modern profile with a basic moderate 'U' shape to the tuning slide, straight to valve 3.

The bore dimensions of the lead pipe and tuning slide were drastically different on each variation. This has a great deal of taper in the tuning slide, and a cylindrical slide. I'd say trumpet.

[wideangleman]

Hi, this horn was made by the apprentice of Isaac Fiske. He made both piston cornets, and piston trumpets. The Heald trumpets are not that uncommon, they're about in equal numbers to the cornet, but it appears that most of them were made in early the 20th century.

[erfwallin]

Do you know the bore size?

Thanks,

Brad Goode

[gsmonks]

This is only the 3rd non-rotary-valve pre-1910 Bb trumpet I've ever seen. Do you have any idea how many of these horns were made? And is it a trumpet, and not a long-model cornet?

[MrBigkhans]

Had to watch the video twice! I really enjoyed your rendition of "Glory Hallelujah" on that vintage horn. What a great sound.

[Weilun0521]

@abukamoon Im a saxophonist myself, and i was thinking the same exact thing... beautiful!

[Paganinilovechild]

Wonderful video thank you for sharing with us!

[gohyks]

Bravo!!

[ultracherry55]

the mouthpiece looks like a horn mouthpiece .

[abukamoon]

It is a beautiful sounding horn. But it is being played by a great musician.

By the way, I am a saxophonist.