Best Ring/Rheingold Tuba Recording

Z-Tuba Dude · Post by **Z-Tuba Dude** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:11 pm

Hey Guys,

Out of curiosity, does anyone have suggestions for best recorded tuba playing in a Ring cycle? I am looking for recordings of Das Rheingold right now, but I am interested in the other installments of the Ring, as well. I do have the Solti/Vienna recording (1960's) which is great, but I was curious if anybody has others that are favorites, specifically from the narrow perspective of the tuba playing.

Thanks!

ZNC Dandy · Post by **ZNC Dandy** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:21 pm

Anything from Bayreuth. Its an All-Star Orchestra, and they generally breath white hot flame. Check out the Barenboim/Bayreuth Ring Cycle. Some remarkable playing there. Not sure who is playing tuba on the Rheingold. Probably Walter Hilgers or Hans Gelhar. Either way, hard to beat. Also the Bavarian State Opera with Wolfgang Sawallisch. Bob Tucci playing a big Willson Rotary BBb, and sounding fantastic as always. Also, there was a Cleveland Orchestra/Dohnanyi recording issued about 10-15 years ago with Ron Bishop playing tuba thats great, worth hearing also for Tom Klaber's enormous bass trombone sound.

Dan Castillo · Post by **Dan Castillo** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:23 pm

The recent Barenboim set on Teldec is really fantastic as far as the orchestral sound is concerned. Voices seem a little iffy compared to the Solti, but if what you're primarily interested in is the sound quality, this one is the way to go.

Mojo workin' · Post by **Mojo workin'** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:56 pm

I've got the "Highlights" discs from all 4 Ring operas that Barenboim recorded with Bayreuth. These can not be beat either sonically or artistically in my opinion. You'll not want to listen to anything else for a few weeks after buying one.

CC · Post by CC » Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:04 pm

I really love the Solti Vienna box set. I haven't heard any of the Bayreuth stuff...

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:43 pm

I have lost my highlights recordings, Solti/Vienna, had both vinyl and CD...the single best "Ride" I've ever heard, in terms of rhythm at least. And that's the basis of my opinion of "Ride" recordings.

I wish I could find that puppy...have tried lots of places.

eupher61 · Post by **eupher61** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 3:27 pm

Was it Witser, or Ed Zadrozny???

TexTuba · Post by **TexTuba** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 6:55 pm

eupher61 wrote:I have lost my highlights recordings, Solti/Vienna, had both vinyl and CD...the single best "Ride" I've ever heard, in terms of rhythm at least. And that's the basis of my opinion of "Ride" recordings.

I wish I could find that puppy...have tried lots of places.

iTunes...I think I found it.

Ralph

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:07 pm

Best Rheingold...

ZNC Dandy · Post by **ZNC Dandy** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 11:36 pm

Bob1062 wrote:
AndyBassTbn wrote: Actually, Tom Klaber was playing BBb Contrabass Trombone (!) on that recording. (He rented this instrument from Jeffrey Reynolds of the LA Phil.

Was that the Minnick Bb/F/D dependent contra that Ferguson's had a few months ago (you know, the one that came in a rocket launcher case! )?
Did he play contra on the whole thing? I seem to remember that only one of the Ring cycle calls for only contra for that entire piece, but I cannot remember which (was it Gotterdammerung?).

I have the score for the entire "Ring" and it calls for contrabass trombone in all 4 operas. They only released 2 of the 4. Rheingold, and Walkure. Strangely Rheingold was recorded over a year AFTER Walkure. The playing in spectacular though. Tom Klaber, Ray Premru, and Ron Bishop is a pretty damn good combination to hear playing these works.

ZNC Dandy · Post by **ZNC Dandy** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:30 am

Bob1062 wrote:
ZNC Dandy wrote:
Bob1062 wrote:
Was that the Minnick Bb/F/D dependent contra that Ferguson's had a few months ago (you know, the one that came in a rocket launcher case! )?
Did he play contra on the whole thing? I seem to remember that only one of the Ring cycle calls for only contra for that entire piece, but I cannot remember which (was it Gotterdammerung?).
I have the score for the entire "Ring" and it calls for contrabass trombone in all 4 operas. They only released 2 of the 4. Rheingold, and Walkure. Strangely Rheingold was recorded over a year AFTER Walkure. The playing in spectacular though. Tom Klaber, Ray Premru, and Ron Bishop is a pretty damn good combination to hear playing these works.

My understanding (mostly from reading stuff from some of the top bass trombonists in the world, Chris Stearn and Ben van Dijk come to mind) is that it is called for in ALL of them, but that the 4th part is a doubling one- bass and contra. Except for one of them, and for some reason I am thinking it is Gotterdammerung.
I believe that the 3rd part is usually played on a bass trombone, but is a tenor part.

Looking at my Cherry CD, it is LABELED as the following-
Rheingold is for Trombones III and IV.
Siegfried is for III and contra.
Walkure is for III and contra.
Gotterdammerung is for III and contra.

The 4th part goes down to a "pedal" (depending on what you're playing it on!) E. I don't really don't know anything about the 3rd part, other than a cursory glance shows some lower valved notes, and I assume some pedals. Basically, I don't ever want to play the 3rd part if there's a 4th!

I have also heard that there are some people (usually those incredible German players on an F!) who play the whole thing on contra. And then there are those who play the whole thing on a bass.

The Ride theme that we all know and love is written in healthy bass trombone range, and I believe is meant to be done on bass. But, the first movement of Walkure goes up to a high F# (above the clef). I think that is MEANT to be played on contra, but I do not know for sure.

But I'm sure that this has been throughly hashed out by better, smarter people than me.
Fish around here for a spell if you have the time-
http://basstrombone.nl/forum/index.php? ... 1ea79da981

I see what you're saying. I must have misunderstood you. I do apologize. It says in the front of the score, roughly translated, that the contrabass trombone player plays the bass trombone part. Wanna hear something crazy, check out Steve Norrell on the Metropolitan Opera "Ring" playing the Contrabass trombone part on a Yamaha 613 bass. Its FREAKISH.