Die Walkure

[eupher61]

Well....got my book finally, today. This is the reduced Wagner, part 2 of the Ring as reduced by Jonathan Dove and whoever did the libretto cuts.

4 months ago, I had every intention of having the ULTIMATE "Ride" ready to go. How life changes...tomorrow (7/22) I open a pizza restaurant. I've been working on that since 3/31...my chops have certainly suffered, but I'm able to play a little bit every day, and I"m buzzing a lot in the car.

This again has a Bass Trumpet double. I'm planning to use my Schiller Baritone 3v comp. That's a little closer to the color than the Schiller Euph I used last year. The conductor really doesn't care.

Thing is, I've been working on the baritone reading trumpet charts. Looking at the book for the Wagner, the bass trumpet is in C. Rheingold was in Bb!!!!!!

AAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh

At least it isn't D or F...

So, time to start playing from fakebooks.

There seems to be a lot more bass trumpet in this one, too. BTW, The Ride starts out on bass trumpet, then picks up the tuba lick. The Magic Fire Music is at least mostly the original, I really haven't looked at it thoroughly.

Time to get to work...both careers!

[eupher61]

Does anyone know who has played the reduced Wagner in Pittsburgh? I know Ian Foster did it with Birmingham Opera simd years back, but doesn't remember specific things after so long. This is frustrating...the part isn't consistently in any specific transposition, it jumps from C to Bb to bass clef for the bass trumpet. since it is so heavily cut and rescored, it is hard to find the spots in the original. No logic.

[eupher61]

Wow. It's been fun trying to figure out these transpositions. Some of them I have absolutely no clue...fortunately the fingers aren't too complex in either key. But, what a screwy way of scoring. The latest confusion is when the part goes from bass clef to treble clef. the key, in those places is obvious...but now I'm wondering about octaves. I sometimes admit to being clueless....but this is one of the cases. And, having moved in April, I can't find my stinking score!!!!!!!! grrrrrr

The Ride cuts out the first tuba entry totally. I'm not sure where the cut is, but I only have 6 bars to switch from bass trumpet (baritone, in my case) to tuba, turn the page, and go into what originally is the final blow of the Ride. This is a blast. Add in that I just opened a pizza restaurant and have been working ungodly hours, gotten sick as a result, and the books just got here a couple weeks ago.....yikes!!!!! But, this is known as fun, right?? The moment we all live for in the tuba world?

[Ben]

Sounds hectic, but rewarding if you can stay healthy! (fun may be a stretch, but again - high potential for fulfillment!)

Best of luck, let us know how it goes!

[eupher61]

I'm actually surprised at how well the little Schiller baritone works. I've been recording tonight, giving a good listen. my pitch on the baritone is actually better than on the Martin right now, at least in the Ride. I'm hoping to catch up with the conductor tomorrow morning before church, and grab the score, mark my part with all the transpositions, and get it back to him right after church (he's the music director for the church as well as artistic director of the opera company). Fortunately, I belong to another DofC church, so I don't feel bad about sitting there and working on the part during the service.

This IS a blast. I'm fortunate that another guy didn't want to do it...he recommended me. I hope I cut it this year as well as I did last year...I'm sort of wary, but it will come together.