RVW concerto tremolo fingering

[Rick Denney]

play it on a Eb and everything is gravy

RVW being a UK composer, and until recently the tuba most often used, even in orchestra, being an Eb, ztuba has a point.

The standard orchestral tuba in Great Britain until the late 60's was the five-valved uncompensated Barlow F tuba, a small instrument with a bell hardly bigger than a euphonium. It probably had more in common with a small French C tuba than with current instruments.

The Eb tubas were used in bands, and at the time I think even those were in high-pitch, just to make the divide between band and orchestra that much more difficult to cross.

Catelinet's four-valve compensated F tuba was probably unusual.

As the story goes, Fletcher was unable to locate an F tuba, and B&H wasn't making any more, so he decided to use Eb. He altered it to suit him, leading to the Sovereign model. This all happened a decade and ore after the RVW was premiered. At the U.S. premiere, Bill Bell used his King Franken-F.

I can't play the trill at all. I usually improvise something different there that sounds musical to me. After all, I'm not practicing it for performance, unless our cat constitutes a bona fide audience. And she is usually at the back door meowing to go out when I'm hacking my way through bits of the RVW.

Rick "suspecting RVW wasn't that concerned with what valves were easy to push" Denney

[peter birch]

[/quote]Rick "suspecting RVW wasn't that concerned with what valves were easy to push" Denney[/quote]

I suspect that RVW is not alone among composers in such a lack of that particular concern

[Peach]

RVW being a UK composer, and until recently the tuba most often used, even in orchestra, being an Eb, ztuba has a point.

As Rick said, the Eb's came into orchestras with Fletch.
Believe me that they are still VERY much the most often used pitch in the UK in orchestras, bands and chamber.
Most of the big pros also have a contrabass (mostly C) but most use the Eb most of the time.
Not suggesting it's the way to do it but that's how it is.

To Johnathan:
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the issue of trilling UP to a note using MORE tubing being plain hard.
ie. 0-to-1 will let the Db speak easier than 0-to-2/3. Trombonists face this a lot when they slur UP but move the slide DOWN.
Have you tried 1/3-to-1 as then you are reducing the length of tubing to ascend? Assuming intonation was bearable that's probably what I'd do.
If you start the 'trill' slowly you might want to use conventional fingerings for the fist two notes and then switch to the alternates?

Best of luck,
MP

[iiipopes]

RVW being a UK composer, and until recently the tuba most often used, even in orchestra, being an Eb, ztuba has a point.

As Rick said, the Eb's came into orchestras with Fletch.
Believe me that they are still VERY much the most often used pitch in the UK in orchestras, bands and chamber.
Most of the big pros also have a contrabass (mostly C) but most use the Eb most of the time.
Not suggesting it's the way to do it but that's how it is.

I stand corrected. Thanks.

[Wyvern]

most use the Eb most of the time.

And some for pieces that would not be considered on an Eb elsewhere in the world. For example at the BBC Proms this year, Respighi Fountains of Rome was played using compensated Eb.

I believe in the days of F tuba in the UK, they were used for everything by some players - even for Prokofiev

[Bob Kolada]

There's a video on youtube of a high-school (younger?!) orchestra playing the Ride, and guess what the tuba player is on?

[Tuba Guy]

There's a video on youtube of a high-school (younger?!) orchestra playing the Ride, and guess what the tuba player is on?

Drugs?

[peter birch]

most use the Eb most of the time.

And some for pieces that would not be considered on an Eb elsewhere in the world. For example at the BBC Proms this year, Respighi Fountains of Rome was played using compensated Eb.

I believe in the days of F tuba in the UK, they were used for everything by some players - even for Prokofiev

did you enjoy the Peter Maxwell Davis piece...with 2 tubas?

[imperialbari]

Had it been pizza or any other food item short of a roast elephant, one piece is never enough to enjoy for two tubas.

K

[imperialbari]

I don' need-no stinkin' feengerings.

Are you sure RVW wanted those tremolos played in the pedal range?

K

[Wyvern]

did you enjoy the Peter Maxwell Davis piece...with 2 tubas?

Yes, I thought quite good

[peter birch]

did you enjoy the Peter Maxwell Davis piece...with 2 tubas?

Yes, I thought quite good

I looked at the orchestration, and it looks like the 2nd tuba should have been a contrabass trombone. Ther was a wild looking contrabass clarinet that I had not seen before.