JohnH wrote:I downloaded the "Orff Approved" performance from iTunes (Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin) .
Strangely enough on that recording, the big dangerous tuba solo (mvt. #13: "Ego Sum Abbas"; very exposed, very loud Gb) is inexplicably *doubled* by the low horns. Talk about cheating!
I recorded Carmina four years ago with a very large chorus and 45 piece orchestra. I agree with Uncle Beer about the F tuba thing-----don't use F unless the horn has good sound on-and-around the low C. I used a MW 2145 CC which worked just fine. BTW, that exposed Gb can be nerve-wracking. I can't imagine it being doubled by the horns. Make sure you hear the Gb clearly in your head when you make your entrance, otherwise it could be CLAM City. Good luck.
I would be challenged to play the opening/closing movements effectively on an F.
For those notes, the resonance that I hear in my head, just doesn't intuitively come out of my F tuba.
Ace wrote:Make sure you hear the Gb clearly in your head when you make your entrance, otherwise it could be CLAM City.
I did this last year and had the pleasure of playing that note. There is a motif a few measures before (I think it is a minor third interval, but don't quote me on it) that has the Gb in it. Hear it, and let it stick in your head - mentally hum it until you have your big hit on it. Then you are sure not to miss it. About the only horn I really wouldn't want to play this on would be a BBb, as that note tends to be squirrley on a few (though not all) BBb's I have played.
I would take this note any day over the Dukas fanfare, where you may have to stand outside in any temperature and weather for an hour in total silence and then nail the opening high Ab cleanly and in tune. (Been there, done that both on a 2145 and a Martin 6/4 BBb. The big Martin was actually no harder as long as I could keep that pitch floating around in my head. Now that I remember, I had to play the Duckass outside in a H.S. allstate orchestra thingy many years ago and clammed that opening Ab bigtime back then!)
I used my Eb (Besson 983) for Carmina several months ago. Reduced the stress by about 90%. Happy happy joy joy.
MartyNeilan wrote:There is a motif a few measures before (I think it is a minor third interval, but don't quote me on it) that has the Gb in it. Hear it, and let it stick in your head - mentally hum it until you have your big hit on it. Then you are sure not to miss it.
This works. Try it.
MartyNeilan wrote:I would take this note any day over the Dukas fanfare, where you may have to stand outside in any temperature and weather for an hour in total silence and then nail the opening high Ab cleanly and in tune... (on) a Martin 6/4 BBb.
LauriH wrote:Anybody happens to know how hard is the tuba part played with wind orchestra?
-Lauri
I played a band arrangement decades ago, and there are a few tihngs that I remember about (assuming it's the same arrangement). I don't recall which movement it is (next to last?), but there is one passage where in both the orchestral and band parts the tuba plays an arpeggio of tonic and dominant on D and A, followed by three E's in different octaves. It goes up to an E above the staff, which is pretty high for most band tuba players (me included). Fortunately, it's loud and in quarter notes, so you can let 'er rip.
No G# in the Ego Sum Abbas... part, however. Nothing else about the band part sticks in my memory after all these years (except getting high-school kids to understand the rhythms in the piece), which suggests they were less challenging.
Rick "who would like an F tuba in his lap for that high E" Denney
JohnH wrote:I downloaded the "Orff Approved" performance from iTunes (Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin) .
Strangely enough on that recording, the big dangerous tuba solo (mvt. #13: "Ego Sum Abbas"; very exposed, very loud Gb) is inexplicably *doubled* by the low horns. Talk about cheating!
I noticed that too, that's the only time I've ever even heard of doubling that part and I don't like the sound. Wonder what possessed them to do that.
Maybe they were having an "Orff day" ...
"Don't take life so serious, son. It ain't nohow permanent." -- Pogo (via Walt Kelly)
i actually just finished a run of this show not too far away from the original poster (Charlotte, NC) about a week ago. i used my CB50 on it. i could have pulled out an F tuba but i weighed the pros and cons. first off, there were around 300-350 musicians/dancers, so it was pretty large scale. the opening and closing (and in my opinion mvt 24 that leads into the closing) are perfect for a big, fat, full sound. the F might look appealing for the exposed Gb or for the octave Eb's you have in the middle of the piece, but believe me mvt 24 played with a big full brass section and a CC/BBb tuba is perfect.
I played parts of the band arrangement this summer. The opening and closing movements have some loud, sustained pedal D's and C's. There are some tough rythmic bits, and a solo that's two notes: an E in the staff lurred down to and E below the staff. Overall, though, nothing ridiculous.
