King Kong

tubacdk · Post by **tubacdk** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:32 pm

where did you see the New Zeland Symph/Berlin cello thing?

James Newton Howard scored the film and all the original score stuff was recorded in Los Angeles. The DVD extra thing from the scoring session showed Doug Tornquist playing tuba. I don't know who else might have been on the session, though I know Jim Self has worked with Mr. Howard in the past.

-ck

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Fri Jan 26, 2007 11:37 pm

tubacdk wrote:where did you see the New Zeland Symph/Berlin cello thing?

James Newton Howard scored the film and all the original score stuff was recorded in Los Angeles. The DVD extra thing from the scoring session showed Doug Tornquist playing tuba. I don't know who else might have been on the session, though I know Jim Self has worked with Mr. Howard in the past.

-ck

Jim was principal on the session, Doug played a date or two when Jim couldn't make it.

...D

poomshanka · Post by **poomshanka** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 8:06 pm

Bob1062 wrote:I swore I saw it in the credits. I'm almsot absolutely sure I saw it. Hmm....

Also, I only got the slightest glimpse of the tuba in the orchestra not even enough to remember anything.

Might this credit have been for the orchestra shown in the NYC theater/pit scene? If so, that might've been members of the NZSO, plus maybe some others. I believe that was filmed at a theater in Wellington.

Scoring was here in L.A., though...

...D

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Sun May 20, 2007 8:13 am

Actually, this would be easier to research than you would imagine. Prior to the 1950s, most musicians had studio contracts which meant that they worked a regular full-time job at one studio. The 1933 version of King Kong was a major production at a major studio, so it had regular orchestra with musicians who worked a normal work week. RKO Radio Pictures was the production company. Musicians at this studio, from about 1929 to the mid 1930s, were also heard on NBC Radio Network shows which originated from Hollywood. NBC first used a sound stage at RKO for national radio shows, as the network never owned a radio station in Los Angeles. In 1939, Radio City West was built at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, which was razed in 1965 to make way for a bank. L.A.'s NBC station was KFI, then located in the Downtown area (today KFI's in the city of Glendale). Ironically, because RKO sold out to Desilu, Desilu sold out to Paramount, and Paramount sold out to CBS, a rival network now owns the RKO facility. It shouldn't be too difficult to find out who the staff tuba player was at RKO in 1933.

tmmcas1 · Post by **tmmcas1** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:35 pm

The musicians in the pit were all extras. Some of the violins and horns are members of the Auckland Philharmonia though. The scene was shot in the Civic theatre in downtown Auckland.

Tom McCaslin

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Tue May 22, 2007 7:17 am

Anyone really that interested in doing the research to find out who played for the 1933 film? I can't do anything that involved right now, just simple things at this point in my life.

Bandmaster · Post by **Bandmaster** » Wed May 30, 2007 7:54 pm

For what it's worth, I played sousaphone and was very briefly on screen in the 1976 remake of King Kong with Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange. I was part of the marching band that was used in the scene when Kong arrives in New York.

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 11:58 am

Hi, Guys...
Recovering from surgery... I have another operation on Tuesday. You have Labor Day on Monday in the United States and Canada. Here September 2 is Ho Chi Minh's Birthday (as well as Ho Chi Minh's Death Day, also a holiday) and September 3 is Independence Day. So I can watch the Jerry Lewis Telethon on the Internet... But I digress..

Regarding who played King Kong in the 2005 movie, the credits say that the score was played by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Since 2001 the tubist with that group has been a South African by the name of Andrew Jarvis.

Here is his biography from the orchestra's website:

The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra wrote: ANDREW JARVIS - Principal

Years in NZSO - five

Andrew began his tertiary studies in Port Elizabeth and played with the Port Elizabeth Orchestra and Prince Alfred's Guards Band. He continued his studies at the University of Natal, Durban, under Michael Johnson, and frequently played with the Natal Philharmonic as casual player. In 1987 he was appointed Principal Tuba of the 'National Orchestra' of South Africa and was also conscripted into the Light Horse Regiment Band as part of his military service.

He became involved in education and taught at various institutions and regularly performed with the Contemporary Brass Ensemble and the Transvaal Chamber Orchestra.In 1993 Andrew immigrated to Australia where he freelanced with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Philharmonic and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. While in Queensland he was appointed part-time Lecturer in Tuba at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. In 1997 he was a guest soloist at the Brisbane International Brass Festival and in 1999, premiered a work by Paul Dean at the Tubamania International Tuba Conference. In 2000 Andrew was guest soloist for the Queensland Symphonic Winds tour of China. Andrew was appointed Principal Tuba of the NZSO in 2001. In 2004 Andrew premiered 'Labyrinth' as soloist with the NZSO.