Hector Berlioz · section 38 of 67

The Bombardon

This is en instrament of very low range, without keys scale, but their emission is so uncertain that it is better but with three cylinders, Its timbre differs only little to avoid them.. from that of the ophicleide. It is in F, with a range of This instrament, whose tones are very powerful, can two octaves and a sixth: execute only passages of moderate speed. Rapid runs

It has a few additional tones at both ends of this like the trombones and written in actual pitch.

and trills are unplayable on it. It produces good effects in large orchestras in which wind instruments predominate. Its natural tones are those of the F-major scale, wherefore the instrument is called “in F”, Nevertheless

it is treated in Germany as « non-transposing instrument