Posted by Chuck(G) on April 17, 2001 at 17:37:18:
In Reply to: Tuba Music posted by Dan Mordhorst on April 16, 2001 at 15:58:54:
Dan, you didn't say what you're using now. If yoú don't have it, I'd suggest that your first investment be in a copy of Arban either for tuba or trumpet (if you don't mind reading TC, it'll save you $25). This is a book that will last you for a lifetime.
The tuba has had a relatively brief existence (born in the 1830's) in the world of musical instruments and so has a limited amount of solo music written for it. Don't overlook works for other instruments such as horn, trumpet, double-bass or cello, all of which have a much richer repertoire of solo works. Listen to non-tuba music a lot, and if you hear something that you think would sound good on tuba, pursue it.
This is not to denigrate the worth of the VW Concerto for Bass Tuba (did you know that he wrote a concerto for harmonica, too?) or the works of any of the other composers who have written specifically for tuba, but just to say that there's a lot more than tuba music that can be played on the tuba.
Chuck "Bassoon concerti, anyone?" Guzis