Front:
Vignettes of Americana
issued for the new Lostage Rates
1975
USAS
MUSIC
MUSIC
USA / BULK RATE
OF THE UNION
OF THE UNION
TORK.
NOV
20
1976
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE
10001
"We, join ourselves to no party
that does not carry the flag and
keep step to the music of the Union."
1855
ficial First Day Cover
K.NY
Back:
Heetwood
7.7c THREE SAXHORNS
Bulk Rate Coil Issue
The spirit that has filled the nation for ages can be heard the popular bugle horn. He was Antoine-Joseph Sax
in its music, from triumphant blasts of horns to the (known as Adolphe), born in Belgium, the son of a maker
rhythmic beating of drums. Jaunty tunes that prodded of wind and brass instruments. Adolphe and his father
soldiers during times of war have become jubilant calls improved on the bugle and came up with the saxhorn.
when victory was in the air. Hand-in-hand with the sense Neither stopped there. Adolphe wanted to improve the
of unity is the harmony of the music maker — a national tone of the bass clarinet and produced the saxophone. He
call for peace with independence. That call is represented and his father also invented the saxo-tromba which
in the new bulk rate stamp, which pictures three saxhorns produced a sound between that of a bugle and a trumpet;
and the slogan “Marching in Step to the Music of the they went on to produce the saxtuba as well. Adolphe
Union.” The slogan is paraphrased from a letter that the continued to work with and invent instruments, but
illustrious Massachusetts lawyer and U. S. Senator, unfortunately — through lack of a commercial basis for
Rufus Choate, wrote to the Whig Convention in 1855. his creations – he was not to reap financial gain. He
About a decade earlier, a middle-aged man with a fine ear nonetheless left a wealth of improvements in musical
for musical tonal quality began making developments on instruments for the world to enjoy.
