I enjoyed a great big band concert last night (Strode's Big Band, 22 musicians) whhich played Maynard Ferguson/Kenton style arrangements and included a french horn among the trombones. I remembered Kenton used a mellophone and I seem to remember pictures of the old Fate Marable riverboat band with a mellophone thatlooked like a french horn to me. The instrument illustrated as the Kenton one had a straighter bell than a french horn.
Are these essentially the same instrument with a cosmetic design change (US marching bands seem to have slightly different designed instruments e.g. euphoniums played horizontally like trumpets)or are they two different instruments?
RtS
I don't really need to know but I'm just curious (some would say, strange)!