Tenoroon, maple, R. de Rosa, Naples, Italian, 1825-30.

"Ringed maple, in four joints with chased brass mounts. Eleven brass keys, with prettily shaped levers sunk into deep grooves cut in the wood, and pivoted on brass pins. The round key-plates, with flat leather pads, are riveted to the ends of the levers. There are two thumb keys on the wing joint; four keys on the front of the butt (B flat, F, A flat, and a duplicate F sharp key with a touch which overlaps the lower part of the F touch as on a modern German bassoon); an F sharp key on the back of the butt; and on the long joint, in which is an ivory-bushed C hole, keys for low D and B flat and also, for the little finger, keys for E flat and C sharp (low). The bore narrows a little towards the rim of the bell. With a brass crook." - Anthony Baines:Catalogue of Musical Instruments in the Victoria and Albert Museum - Part II: Non-keyboard instruments. (London, 1998), p. 98.

Given to the Museum by Mrs E. Payne

This object was given to the South Kensington Museum in 1884 by Mrs E. Payne, Park Villa, Loughborough Road, Brighton.

The word 'tenoroon' is short for 'tenor bassoon', a high-pitched version of the orchestral instrument. Because of its size, the tenoroon was considered easier for children to learn than the basson, and it featured in orphanage bands. This example was made by R.Rosa, a 19th century military bandmaster from Naples, who became a dealer in musical instruments.

46-1884