Bohumir Kryl

Czech-American cornetist, bandleader, and pioneer recording artist (born May 2, 1875 in Hořice, Bohemia, then Austria-Hungary – died August 7, 1961 in Chicago, IL, USA)

Kryl studied the violin and later the cornet from age 10, performing on both for a circus band in Prague. Later, he joined the famous German Circus Renz as an aerialist acrobat, but after an accident he switched back to his father's line of work and became a sculptor. In 1889 he emigrated to the United States. There he sculpted the Ben Hur statue at General Lew Wallace’s home in Crawfordsville, Indiana, and worked on the Soldiers’ and Sailor’s Monument in Indianapolis. He also played solo cornet for the When Clothing Company Band, then for Sousa's Band, and and other bands. Between 1902 and 1906 be became a star attraction with Frederick Neil Innes' Band. In 1906, he founded his own band, Kryl's Bohemian Band, which recorded for Columbia, Columbia, and Columbia.

Kryl was famous for his exceptional range, rich clean tone, and his triple tonguing technique that allowed him to produce multiphonics on the instrument. He would play a low pitch on the instrument and hum a higher one, thus producing actually a third "difference tone." He was so good at this technique that the difference tone was actually louder than either the note or the hum itself.