Posted by Joe S. on May 19, 2001 at 01:11:59:
In Reply to: Brass Quintet Instrumentation posted by Steve C on May 18, 2001 at 22:59:57:
I think some Berlin brass quintet in the past used a bass trumpet either in place of the horn or the trombone (??)...(I'm thinking it was a substitute for horn.)
Whenever I play in brass quintets, I'm always longing for the trombonist(s) to use smaller instruments (ie: Bach 16, King 2B/3B, etc.) so that their sound would be more soloistic and "singing" in character, particularly in the high range, and offer more presence and also more tonal flexibility. I always feel like - no matter how good the trombonist (and I've played with some FINE ones) - those Bach 42 things always offer a blah-blah sound in a brass quintet...fine for Wagner, but not the best choice, IMO, for a brass quintet trombone.
I would like for the trumpeters to consider more use of cornets and flugel horns on appropriate pieces, too, to - again - help give the brass quintet more tonal variety. I think that even the top level brass quintets end up sounding like some brass "accordian" to many in the audience after an hour of concertising.
As to the tuba, if I had my bass trombone technique in better "order", I would be delighted to perform many brass quintet works on the bass trombone, as I believe that many brass quintet compositions cry out for the bass trombone, and on those particular pieces the tuba sounds like a "foreigner" in the group.