Re: Re: Re: The VW on BBb contrabass tuba


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Posted by olituba on July 31, 2003 at 17:58:09:

In Reply to: Re: Re: The VW on BBb contrabass tuba posted by ... on July 30, 2003 at 19:38:36:

right, man!! Good comment on that one!
A friend of mine, former student of John Fletcher´s, actually was there in London when this piece had its premiere. Phil Catelinet played it on an F. About says it, doesn´t it?. Yes, I´ve heard it played - actually pretty well done, too - on BBb´s, but, hey guys, let´s be honest, a BBb as a contrabass-horn, built to provide foundation for others, the F sits somewhere in the middle of low brass instruments, but is still a Bass instrument . So, if you really for some reason or other have to play a tuba concerto, please use an instrument, that doesn´t make it harder than it allready is, just from the way it´s built! There are occasions, where you have to play soloistic stuff, including the VW. And not just auditions. but no matter, how hard I´ve studied and practised this piece, the tuba (as a general type of instrument, not as my own specimen!) doesn´t become any more a solo-instrument than it is - to quote John Fletcher: One can do really nice things on this instrument, but no matter what, she ´s not a soloistic instrument.! And I personally would add: she´s not a solo instrument when she´s in F, and even less so with every other version you get to buy on the market. Eb, CC or BBb. The bigger they get, the more Banana-skin like (Again good old Fletch..) type of humor becomes more important. and consequently, it´s less of a solo instrument.

Enough rant!

my - well - 7 cents.

oli


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