Re: Reply to B.G.


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Posted by B.G. on April 08, 2003 at 22:19:11:

In Reply to: Reply to B.G. posted by Simon - UK on April 08, 2003 at 16:35:32:

You're way off base. If you care to quote me accurately, you will have read that I had said, very specifically, that I was NOT commenting on the skill level of the tuba player in the RPO. I would not be stupid enough to do such a thing. I happen to have been a very big fan of John Fletcher. I met with him in London in 1981. To the best of my knowledge, John was very British. In regards to the RPO's Mahler 5th in S.F., I very specifically stated that I was commening on the choice of instrument. I'm entitled to my opinion, and I'm sticking by it! I've played a 3+1 eefer for many years, with a 19" bell, and I would not use that instrument on Mahler 5 in Davies Hall. I do not care to compare my playing to the person in the RPO, or you, or anybody else. I think it's incredibly cheeky of you to even suggest such a thing. More than being a tuba player, I'm a music lover, and I'm a big fan of the music of Mahler. I've played a lot of it myself, and I felt that the old, prototype 188 that I once owned, was often times too small. And that was in concert halls much smaller than S.F.'s Davies Hall (but with lessor acoustics too).

I also made it clear that I had NOT heard the RPO's recording of Shostakovich 3 and 12. I did, however, once own their recordings of Shostakovich 4 and 5. They were not bad at all, but I happen to own other ones now that I like better. I'm a big fan of the new complete Shostakovich cycle from Rudolf Barshai and the Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra. I'm not the only one, as it was voted "record of the year" at this year's Caans Classical Awards. Those awards are given by a fully international panel of record critics, and not just British or American critics. I did not discard the Ashkenazy/RPO ones because of the tuba player - far from it! I do, however, think that there is some difference between the ones that Askenazy recorded with the RPO, and those that he did with the St. Petersburg Phil. One big difference is in their string sections. When the St. Petersburg Phil. comes to S.F., they get rave reviews. The RPO did not, and I agree.

The only other comment that I have made about British tuba players, in general, is that I've had difficult hearing the tuba, clearly, from recent recordings of the Philharmonia. Again, the player may be very good, but I have trouble hearing his part clearly. If I thought that Besson Eb's were dogs, I would not play them myself. I would not, however, use one as a surrogate contrabass. That's just me, and neither did John Fletcher. I happen to think that Bessons are better instruments than they often times get credit for being, so put that in your pipe and smoke it. Thank you.

Barry Guerrero




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