Couesnophone

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Couesnophone by French manufacturer Couesnon

The couesnophone, also known as the goofus or queenophone, is a

reeds vibrate when the desired keys are activated and the player blows through a tube. "Best described as a mouth-blown accordion,"[1] "it sounded like a cross between a harmonica and an accordion."[2]

Construction

Illustration from French manufacturer Couesnon's 1924 patent

Couesnon was awarded patent no. 569294 for an instrument that was described as a saxophone jouet (lit. 'toy saxophone'). Unlike the saxophone, the couesnophone is a

keys of a piano. Its rubber mouthpiece allows the horn be held and played vertically like a saxophone, or horizontally like a flute or melodica
.

Performers

The couesnophone was introduced into

vibraphonist Adrian Rollini, though he is sometimes credited with its invention.[1] The term "goofus" might have been coined by jazz musicians such as Rollini,[4] or Ed Kirkeby,[5]
because it is easier to pronounce.

Recordings with Rollini on goofus include

The Little Ramblers' "Deep Elm";[6] The Goofus Five's "Everybody Love My Baby" and "Oh! How I Love My Darling";[7] the Varsity Eight's "How I Love That Girl", "Doo Wacka Doo", "Oh! Mabel", "Happy (Watchin' All the Clouds Roll By)", "Ain't My Baby Grand?", and "I Ain't Got Nobody to Love";[7] and Joe Venuti and the Eddie Lang Blue Five's "Raggin' the Scale".[7] Don Redman played the goofus on "You'll Never Get to Heaven With Those Eyes", "A New Kind of Man (With a New Kind of Love for Me)", and "Cold Mammas (Burn Me Up)".[8]

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 9780810882096
    .
  2. ISBN 9781871478402
    .
  3. ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20130926132112/http://www.patmissin.com/history/melodica.html
  4. ISBN 9781860741548
    .
  5. ISBN 9780306800153
    .
  6. ISBN 9781603449588
    .
  7. ^
    ISBN 9781435742598
    .
  8. ISBN 9780195358148
    .

Further reading
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