Posted by Psychologist on March 16, 2003 at 06:08:39:
I wonder what makes pros' fashion changes over the decades of years: I learnt from this board, that once American style piston tubas were replaced by German rotory horns - which in turn got replaced by more or less compact(shaped) piston tubas again.
I doubt about any pragmatic reasons, ... but could it be possible, that we are depending on the same rules as - let me say - the automotive car styling changes do?
All kind of horns have participated in a technologic progress development over the last century, so, the basic attributes and differences might have been in a consistant distance.
So what? Is it a matter of honor to be in the "avantgarde" of up-to date tubists, and is it something to be ashamed of to play a yesteryear horn on stage - no matter how great the sound quality might be?
Do American 1st class conductors raise their eyebrows, should a tubist dare to show up with a RM rotary horn in the year 2003, and - vice-versa - do German conductors the same in case of being confronted with a (new) piston Holton (for example)?