Yamaha Flugelhorn.

The flugelhorn is a close relative of the trumpet, with a wider bore and a darker, more rounded tone. A favourite of jazz musicians, it is particularly famous for intimate solos by the likes of Miles Davis, Chet Baker, and Chuck Mangione. Brass instruments present a particular challenge for this kind of photography. While their interiors are vital to the instrument’s voice, they can appear visually simple. For this image, I had to look instead to the outside of the instrument, and find a way not only to present it with an architectural sensibility, but also to suggest something of the sound and vibration that pass through it as it is played. To achieve this, I focused on the finger buttons and valves, which rise like great chimney stacks, perhaps a fitting nod to Yamaha itself. The company’s extraordinary range has included everything from motorbikes and pianos to semiconductors, drones, and virtually every kind of wind and brass instrument. Reflected in the polished surface of this instrument is the posthorn solo from Mahler’s Third Symphony, one of the most famous passages associated with the flugelhorn in the classical repertoire. Many thanks to Daniël Bögemann of Windcraft Repair in Melbourne for lending me this fine instrument. Limited-Edition Prints from an edition of 250. Signed and numbered by the Artist, with a Certificate of Authenticity.