You know what we need...?

[roweenie]

We need some talented composer to write some solo pieces that don't make the tuba sound like crap... Someone that won't make the tuba some sound baffoonish or dim-witted or boring... Someone that isn't writing it to keep their composer teaching tenure job and please the "bleep-bloop-sqeak-fart" fellow composer crowd.

Yeah, right.

Why don't you ask for an all-expenses-paid weekend vacation to Saturn? You might have a better chance.....

[bort]

...the "bleep-bloop-sqeak-fart" fellow composer crowd

That's hilarous, I love it.

[Kirley]

No instrument is a solo instrument (to others' ears) for more than thirty minutes or so...

...which is why God created "intermissions".

And beer.

[Three Valves]

"bleep-bloop-sqeak-fart" fellow composer crowd.

How about Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suafkk2vWNI" target="_blank

[tbonesullivan]

Piano and Violin have always been the premier instruments for solos, concertos, etc. I haven't seen much out there for bassoon, double bass, bass clarinet, viola, etc. Trombone as well does not have a great solo literature, and a lot of it is stuff like Sequenza V by Berio, with lots of glissando and other strange noises.

With tuba, another issue may be that soloists are usually expected to carry over the accompaniment, be it piano, orchestra, or band. Bass instruments don't carry over well due to the register they play in, so often you either don't get heard, or they hear ONLY you.

Still, there is plenty of great small ensemble literature for Quintets and other groups. So at least you have that.

[Michael Bush]

"bleep-bloop-sqeak-fart"

How do you write polyphonics?
Ahrgghwervsprtgggggornwerzzz, or something like that.

[GC]

Really, unless you're a dedicated soloist yourself, listening to more that a half hour or so of ANY solo literature is more than most people can take. I can take hours of Bach on the organ, but nothing else.

In a hundred years, modern solo lit that's not melodic and listenable will probably be little more than a footnone, and older and modern melodic pieces will live on. Maybe.

[Bob Kolada]

This seems like a nice tune-


http://www.jerrylackey.com/downloads/ja ... orchestra/" target="_blank

[imperialbari]

String basses have special string sets for solo purposes (F#-Bnatural-E-A) which are a major second above their orchestral strings. And then they play way up in their high registers. One London based soloist uses an old Viennese solo tuning (A-D-F#-A) which allows for easier double stopped figurationsnin thirds. He uses standard tuning in fourths for his day job as the section leader in a major London orchestra, which reveals very good reading skills.

Tuba solos either have to go up in a range at least a fifth above the bass line or to be identical to the bass line, as long as we talk music that is pleasant to the ears of the public that doesn’t have music as its own profession.

Being original within these restrictions takes extraordinary skills. Like it takes extraordinary skills to play the modern compositions displaying apparently illogical tone patterns in a way that makes musical sence.

Composition has my interest, even if I don’t consider myself a composer. Somehow my ears say that the tuba could be used in a more musical way, if it was one of the soloists in a double concerto. The other soloist preferably should be an instrument able to play fluid lines like the tuba can. That is violin, cello, or clarinet rather than trumpet or trombone. Euphonium might be an option, but the danger of dullness would be considerable.

Klaus

[Matt Walters]

How about Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suafkk2vWNI" target="_blank" target="_blank

Sorry but Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah is too melodic to a "serious" contemporary composition. Can't have something catchy that can be whistled.

[Three Valves]

Heavens forbid!!

A toe may be tapped!!

[Z-Tuba Dude]

I am a particular fan of the VW slow movement. To me, it demonstrates the undeniable fact that a tuba can sound great as a solo instrument.


Having said that, most solo tuba compositions do fall short of realizing that potential (some by a lot, sadly).

Points that have been discussed in other posts are all true --

- ANY instrument is challenged to be the sole focus of a composition (except when you have guys like Mozart & Beethoven solving the problem of trying to make interesting sounds, for you).
- BASS instruments are at a disadvantage, sonically, because they are more easily covered up in orchestrations by the higher pitched instruments. It requires clever orchestrating to work around that problem.
- The lower tessitura of the tuba is less useful for solo purposes. I think the audience in general, relates better to a range which is similar to the human voice (with some exceptions). Even in the world of opera, there is a reason that the soprano, and particularly the tenor voices are more popular than their lower counterparts, as soloists.

To a larger point: I think that "society" currently puts a higher value on singers (particularly "popular" singers), than instrumentalists.

I believe that it is because instrumental music is a more abstract medium, and it requires the careful attention of the listener. Lyrics, on the other hand, provide immediate gratification to the average listener, and don't require any heavy thinking to grasp. Melodic inventiveness really seems to be the secondary consideration in popular music.

To compensate for the lack of that "instant" understanding, an instrumental composition must capture the listener's attention in other ways.....through imaginative, beautiful, energetic, engaging melodies.....colorful, expressive orchestrations....rhythmic interest.

With all of that said, a great composer can overcome the inherent difficulties of an instrument, and go on to make a great piece of music.

Do you know what we need? MORE GREAT COMPOSERS!!! (especially those that we can con into writing for the tuba!) : )

[Michael Bush]

I am a particular fan of the VW slow movement. To me, it demonstrates the undeniable fact that a tuba can sound great as a solo instrument.

Gene Pokorny's performance of that movement at the end of his lecture/recital at ITEC this year was, as a fellow amateur said to me afterward, "life enhancing."

[tclements]

Barbara York and Elizabeth Raum have written some nice works. I think the Wilder Sonatas and the Donald White Sonata is a good work. Roger Kelleway knows how to write well for our instrument and Broughton wrote a WONDERFUL work for our instrument. I might suggest you do some research because there ARE excellent composers writing for our instrument.