Posted by Thanks.. on April 11, 2003 at 09:25:57:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Verdi Requiem posted by Chuck Jackson on April 10, 2003 at 16:46:05:
...Chuck...I knew I was remembering correctly. I finally dug out my part, and right there on the first page at bar 111, there are 48 high Ab's in the space of 16 bars. Maybe you thought I was talking about "Vaughan Williams" high Ab. Anyway, I've heard many a tuba player complain about centering that note, which is why I asked the question in the first place.
Also, if in this same passage, the bass trombone player is playing a minor third above you, (starting on Cb), then his part is wrong. The most common edition has the 2nd and 3rd trombone parts interchanged for a few bars here. The bass trombone should be unison with the "tuba" (I still think it should be played on cimbasso...it looks exactly like every opera part that Verdi wrote)and the 2nd trombone should start on Cb.
An interesting story...I once saw the Philadelphia Orchestra play the Requiem in memory of Eugene Ormandy shortly after his death. The bass drum player was playing on two drums
simultaneously, standing between them, with their heads tilted upwards slightly, facing the audience. It was quite a sight, and sounded great. When the Dies Irae comes around again toward the end of the piece, he hit the drums so hard that one of them flew backwards off of it's frame, knocking down five or six women in the choir like bowling pins! He kept playing, the women stood up and kept singing, and everything continued as if nothing had happened. An incredibly moving performance, despite the entertainment.
Good luck on your performance.