(Fr. basson russe, serpent-basson, serpent-droit, ophibariton; It. serpentone).
A variety of upright serpent made in three or four sections, two of which, in a more massive form, resemble the butt and wing joint of the bassoon. The bell section is generally made in two parts, a straight wooden joint fitting into the butt, often capped by a brass flared bell or a painted dragon’s head as illustrated here (the dragon’s head variety was also called ophibariton). Many instruments of the dragon’s head type were made at Lyons by such makers as Sautermeister, Jeantet and Tabard during the second quarter of the 19th century. The instrument is completed by a curved swan-neck crook. Six finger-holes and either three or four keys are normal, while in compass and playing technique it in no way differs from the serpent, except that it is much more convenient to hold.
Its origin may be found in Régibo’s serpent, which was announced in Framery’s Calendrier universel musical for 1789 in the following terms:
J.J. Régibo, Musicien à la Collégiale de St. Pierre à Lille, vient d’inventer un serpent nouveau qui est fait de même qu’un basson; il se démonte en trois parties et est plus fort que le serpent ordinaire, et plus aisé à jouer; il a la même embouchure, est du même diapason et même gamme. Il a été présenté à MM. du Chapître dans une musique à grande symphonie, et a fait l’admiration des auditeurs par son effet; ils l’ont reçu dans leur musique ordinaire. Ceux qui veulent s’en procurer peuvent s’adresser à l’auteur, rue Pétérinck, Paroisse St. Pierre à Lille. Le prix est 3 louis.
Although this is evidently the starting-point of the countless varieties of upright serpent that became so popular and widespread during the first half of the 19th century, nothing further has been discovered about Régibo’s instrument. Obviously it can have met with no success in Paris, since the first upright serpent found there is the Piffault serpent (1806), which bears no resemblance whatever to a bassoon; it was not until considerably later that bassoon-like serpents appeared in any quantity.
It is possible that Régibo’s serpent was more encouragingly received further east, whence it seems to have reached Paris, after Waterloo, in Prussian military bands. It appears to have been popular in Belgium, though, to judge from surviving specimens, not before the 19th century.
Different countries seem to have favoured certain types of upright serpent. Thus in Germany the russian bassoon and Streitwolf’s chromatic bass-horn are found; Belgium preferred the russian bassoon and the tuba-Dupré, France favoured the Forveille serpent and the russian bassoon, while England held exclusively to the bass-horn.
See also Cimbasso and Serpent.
REGINALD MORLEY-PEGGE/R