by Sam Cronk

For many North American musicians, there is an unmistakable connection with marching bands evoked by the sound of a euphonium. Often featured as a solo instrument in all styles of band music, the euphonium's agility in low registers makes it a brass/wind equivalent of the cello. Its name is derived from a Greek work meaning "sweet-voiced."
First called a Sommerphone , the euphonium was invented in 1843 by a manufacturer named Sommer (Weimar, Germany) who was likely influenced by the invention of the tenor tuba in 1838. Sommer's valved brass instrument looked very much like a tenor tuba, but it had a wider "bore" or air-passage. The name tenor tuba is still used to identify Sommer's instrument in Italy and Holland, but in English, his creation came to be called a euphonium. The variety of names for this instrument can be confusing: "Baryton" in German, "basse a pistons" in French, and "bombardino" in Spanish.
The euphonium has also had a variety of shapes and styles throughout its nearly 160 year history. Those used in concert performances generally are supported in the player's lap and have bells which point upward. Obviously, this construction isn't practical for musicians in marching bands. Consequently, Allen Dodworth, an instrument maker from New York, patented a backward-facing euphonium that a marching player can rest on his or her shoulder.