sarrusophone

sair-ROOS-ah-fone

[ French ]

Definition

family of wind instruments designed by French bandmaster Pierre-Auguste Sarrus and patented by Pierre-Louis Gautrot in 1856. The sarrusophone has a double reed similar to a bassoon or oboe, but is made of brass, and resembles the saxophone in fingering and range. The sarrusophone was mainly invented as a substitute for oboes and bassoons in military bands.