Band part for Bride of the Waves

[luke_hollis]

I am reading/transposing a trumpet part solo with piano for Bride of the Waves on CC tuba and have a question.

Does anyone know if this part match the band based part (key, etc)?

I don't want to learn the trumpet part and find the concert band version is different.

[PaulMaybery]

Good question:

The band score and the piano version are in the same key with the Clarke solos. Some of the early solos, such as by Jules Levy, have piano parts in sharp keys (half step lower), expecting the cornet to read the same part but crook and play in A. But the band scores to those same Levy solos all take into account that they will be played on Bb Cornet (reading from the same part) when with band.

Not sure why the Bb/A tradition with some of those piano accompaniments. The 'A tuning' is not as bright and perhaps was thought to be better suited for indoors with piano. Of course A cornet tuning was used frequently in small (theatre) orchestra playing.

I have about 75 vintage cornets in my little collection. Most have some sort of HP/LP crooks or set pieces and also some sort of apparatus for changing from Bb to A. Some came with a crook or pipe, other times a rotary change-valve.

Tuning in the 19th century in America (for bands) was generally at High Pitch for Levy and his generation, but Clarke and the Sousa Band played at Low Pitch by the time Clarke came on board. Low pitch eventually moved up a couple of cents to A=440 where it is today.

Old cornets from that era are wonderful to perform on, but are cantankerous at best when trying to center in on a tuning pitch. They do not like to be tuned down from HP to modern 440. But neither is it is practical to tune a piano up to high pitch for one piece or even one recital. One friend had a new set of set pieces made to accomodate modern pitch in Bb and also in A. When playing in the customary flat keys for cornet solos, there were mimimum problems with intonation related to the added plumbing.

Performing historic music on historic instruments is fun, but takes the acquiring of considerable experience.

[luke_hollis]

Thanks for the reply.

Good thing I won't be crooking down. Having started playing treble clef on Bb Euphonium, it was a bit confusing to be reading a trumpet part on a CC tuba, but I have the swing of it now and am relieved I can stick with the current plan.

[scottw]

http://www.bandmusicpdf.org/bridewaves" target="_blank
If anyone is interested!

[aqualung]

A digital piano can be quickly re-tuned to a different pitch standard.