Posted by Rick Denney on May 15, 2001 at 12:50:29:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: THE horn for Bydlo???? posted by Mike on May 14, 2001 at 09:39:28:
I don't have any problem with GC's work ethic. None whatsoever. Though my employer might fire me if I really worked at the tuba enough to be able to play a euphonium or French C part on a contrabass reliably and musically. As an amateur with other calls to answer and other responsibilities to fulfill, I will have to content myself with instruments that cover some of that distance for me. As a pro who must consider what it takes to get the job done, I might strike a blow for efficiency and make the same decision. But that's not the point of my disagreement.
I do have a problem with the musical ethic, however. The example was presented of playing high trumpet parts on a Bb trumpet. I don't see this done much for, say, Baroque piccolo trumpet parts. I mostly see those played on pics, even when the player is fully capable of playing them on a Bb trumpet. Why? A Bb trumpet played that high sounds like a Bb trumpet being played that high. It has a scream quality to it. This is fine for jazz, but it would not be appropriate for much baroque music. A pic sounds like a pic.
Most bass trombone players can get a fine bass trombone sound when playing tuba parts. All the notes are correct, and may even be played musically. But it still sounds like a bass trombone.
I once heard Gary Karr play a cello part (to something or another--it was a radio performance from more than a dozen years ago) and he sounded fabulous. But it still sounded like a double bass. For a soloist's feature piece--fine. But for an ensemble musician?
Other examples abound.
These are issues quite apart from the notion of hitting the notes reliably. I've heard enough fracked high G#'s by world-class players using larger equipment to know that it takes more than just practice.
Rick "It's a question of musical values, not work ethic" Denney