Re: Re: Re: Re: CC or BB? that is the qq


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Posted by Klaus on December 18, 2001 at 17:01:55:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: CC or BB? that is the qq posted by Andy Smith on December 18, 2001 at 14:55:29:

might have have blurred my point along the line:

I have no biases towards which keys any player might prefer for bass and contrabass tubas respectively. One should follow the tradition one is situated in. Or is working towards to be situated in, so that CC tubas should not be excluded in HS bands.

I mostly tried to stress, that one should not let oneself be handicapped by concerns of a minor problem like fingering. When I practise, then scales always in all 12 major keys in the full instrument range (formerly also the minors, dorians, the mixolydians, the whole tone, and the eightnote scales). Sometimes still the chromatic.

Despite the lack of a really perfect perfect pitch I want to be able to pre-hear notes as they sound on my instruments, before I play them. I feel I can not play properly without support from that sort of aural imagination.

A long life with brasses in Eb, Bb, and F before I came to tubas has tuned my ears against an easy coexistence with CC tubas. Why should I take up this hard reprogramming of a basically intuitive, non-intellectual, skill like the hearing? (Fingerings certainly would not be the problem, as I have been used as a walking encyclopedia for alternative fingerings and positions on horn, trombones, and low brasses for decades. A knowledge I never understood was not common knowledge to all players).

I am satisfied with my Eb and BBb tubas, so I did not take the bite, when I today was told by the holder of our most prestigeous tuba seat, that I could buy "his" used 4/4 Hirsbrunner CC (the one with the tuning slide in the leadpipe) from his orchestra. Good condition, DKr 25.000 which is less than $3000. That player is the one for whom the Theins made the 5 piston CC and F tubas. There are no other known tubas beyond these two specimens that have a thumb activated piston.

I also discussed the topic CC versus BBb with him. He had been referred to me, because his orchestra needed a sousa for a special version of the Ravel Bolero to be played on a nationally televised New Years concert.

I wanted to know why he wanted to loan my Eb Conn 26K. It is good, but my BBb 40K is better. He did not feel himself comfortable with BBb instruments, whereas he had spent his parading youth on Eb tubas. And this player is much younger than me. Plus playing more than 25 leagues above my level.

Klaus


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