| This is my Marzan slant rotor CC tuba, which I used as my main horn in the Delaware Symphony from 1979 until 1997. I bought this horn second hand from what I believe was the original owner in 1977. It has a 19" upright bell, 4 rotors, and a .748" bore. The upward oriented tuning slide was intended to be used in place of the individual valve slides for tuning adjustment. It is marked "Marzan" on the bell, and "Germany" on the receiver.
"In 1940, the York Band Instrument Company was sold to the Carl Fisher Company, but production on musical instruments ceased during the war so the factory could make munitions. After the war, the factory reportedly made student horns and sousaphones until it was dismantled in 1971.
To keep the reputation of artist-grade Yorks alive, Carl Fisher imported a series of horns under the label York Master that were made in West Germany by Böhm and Meinl. Böhm and Meinl was a maker of good reputation that produced top-line horns for many American importers, including the coveted Marzan CC. The York Master was made in the American style, using designs adapted from the York instruments that had previously been made in the U.S. The York Masters were not nearly as large as the Chicago York, but many report that they had the same characteristic sound and playing qualities. Böhm and Meinl was purchased in 1992 by Walter Nirschl, who continues to produce superb copies of York designs including a popular copy of the Chicago York."¹
"The brace feet on the tubas of this model [Marzan] in my shop are all exactly like those found on Nirschl/B&M...and the 19" quick-expanding bell flare, bottom bow, top bow, etc. all seem to precisely trace the 4/4 "blueprint" of B&M Symphonic tubas offered over the years. Finally, these instruments are constructed of fairly light-gauge material - characteristic of many (with the known exception of the "York Master" tubas) of the B&M tubas"²
The owner of D.E.G. Music, Ed Stevens wrote, "This was before my time with DEG, so I checked it with Don Getzen. DEG distributed this instrument, which was manufactured by Böhm & Meinl."
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