Distin
Encyclopedia
The Distin family was a family of British Musicians in the 19th century who performed on saxhorns and were influential in the evolution of brass instruments in then popular music. Henri Distin, son of John Distin eventually became a celebrated brass instrument manufacturer in England and the United States.
s from the company of Adolph Sax. The Distin family quintet was importantly responsible for popularizing Saxhorns, and influenced further evolution of brass instruments. The Distins toured in the United States
in addition to Europe
. They accepted a 40 concert booking in New York
for the 1849 season, but the venue burned to the ground while they were crossing the Atlantic
. While critically hailed,their tour was plagued by illness, a Cholera
epidemic that scared away the audience, and unrelated riots. A brief tour of Canada
went no better.
In 1876, Henri Distin returned to the United States and set-up a small business manufacturing cornets in New York. In 1882 he relocated to Williamsport Pennsylvania to produce instruments in partnership. The company would take his name in 1885 as the Henri Distin Manufacturing Company making a full line of brass instruments.
Henri Distin remained a performer and marketer of brass instruments. At the age of 70, he was still performing, playing "Tis the Last Rose of Summer" on an E-flat Tuba with the Gillmore Band in 1889 while attending the concert for the original purpose of presenting one of his company’s horns to Gillmore.
Distin Quintet
John Distin and his family constituted a musical group that toured in the mid to late 19th century. They performed on SaxhornSaxhorn
The saxhorn is a valved brass instrument with a conical bore and deep cup-shaped mouthpiece. The sound has a characteristic mellow quality, and blends well with other brass.-The saxhorn family:...
s from the company of Adolph Sax. The Distin family quintet was importantly responsible for popularizing Saxhorns, and influenced further evolution of brass instruments. The Distins toured in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in addition to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. They accepted a 40 concert booking in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for the 1849 season, but the venue burned to the ground while they were crossing the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. While critically hailed,their tour was plagued by illness, a Cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic that scared away the audience, and unrelated riots. A brief tour of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
went no better.
Henri Distin
Following the acclaimed but financially failed American tour, Henri Distin established an instrument manufacturing and sales concern, Distin & Co., in London after 1849. He sold Adolph Sax’s instruments alongside his own traditional brass instruments. Following receipt of a prize medal for the superiority of his instruments over European competitors at the Paris World’s Exposition, in 1868, he sold the business including a shop on Cranbourne to what would become the Boosey company and later Boosey and Hawkes. The acquisition of Distin’s brass instrument manufacturing positioned Boosey to become a well-respected brass instrument company in the late 19th through mid-20th century. Distin would subsequently lose most of his money on concert schemes and other ventures within a few years.In 1876, Henri Distin returned to the United States and set-up a small business manufacturing cornets in New York. In 1882 he relocated to Williamsport Pennsylvania to produce instruments in partnership. The company would take his name in 1885 as the Henri Distin Manufacturing Company making a full line of brass instruments.
Henri Distin remained a performer and marketer of brass instruments. At the age of 70, he was still performing, playing "Tis the Last Rose of Summer" on an E-flat Tuba with the Gillmore Band in 1889 while attending the concert for the original purpose of presenting one of his company’s horns to Gillmore.