Posted by Art on January 15, 2001 at 12:19:27:
In Reply to: question on C (not CC) tuba's posted by Brad on January 12, 2001 at 23:04:26:
I have a copy of "Methode Complete pour Trombone Basse, Tuba, Saxhorns Basses et Contrebasse" by Paul Bernard, Professeur au Conservatoire National Superior de Musique, published by Alphonse Leduc. The copyright date is 1960, but the text and pictures seem to be much older - perhaps it's a reprint. It's all in four languages, and has pictures and fingering charts for 5 and 6-valve french tubas. In the introduction Bernard states that:
"today only the six-valve tuba or five-valve bass saxhorn is used to the almost total exclusion of the four-valve bass. It should be noted that in Germany, England, and certain northern countries, as well as in America, the tuba in C or B flat is sometimes known as the euphonium. In England, tubas are even made in F and G."
No description of the tuba mouthpiece is given, but the there are cross-section drawings of mouthpieces for bass and contrabass saxhorn. The latter has 29.5 mm inside rim diameter. Both show a wider diameter inside the cup than at the rim. On all of the instruments describe, the 3rd valve is for 2 whole steps, rather than the 1-1/2 steps that we consider to be conventional.
I played on a Mahillon-Sear C tuba once. It had a regular tuba receiver. It played like a baritone horn with a tuba mouthpiece, i.e. it just felt all wrong.