Playing with the Mankato Symphony, we did Carmina Burana earlier this month. I had an older gentleman come up to me and told me how he'd sung the bass part for the piece many times in the past 30 years and today was the first time he really heard the tuba. And he absolutely loved it! Said he kept purposely listening for the tuba because he enjoyed the part and the sound I was creating so much. He left by giving me a rousing bravo.
I think the best compliments come from when people appreciate the long and LOUD notes.
Hum or play the four notes that correspond to those key names. Recognize what you're hearing?
In the snippet "C-D-F-E," the first note is the tonic key of that "tune."
Here's the big clue:
Jupiter Symphony
4th movement (final clue)
The next comment will be the answer to the riddle and its explanation. Hopefully, that will come from someone else who has figured out Charlie Pikler's riddle.
Me, casually asking the poor soul in front of me: "Can you hear me okay?"
The poor soul in front of me: *rubbing ears* "WHAT? Holy f***...!"
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After a particular Shostakovich lick with all six of us doing a pretty good job of the double-tongued 16th note runs: "Contras!.. Wow!"
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Robert Smith, going down the line, telling each contra, "Flat... sharp... just a little sharp... flat, too... not bad..." and getting to me says, "We're tuning to YOU."
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Playing Battle Hymn Of The Republic for the umpteenth time (pick a year, any year) and, during the low brass chorale in the bridge, seeing a woman in the crowd reach for some tissues out of her purse and dab the tears in her eyes.
Hum or play the four notes that correspond to those key names. Recognize what you're hearing?
In the snippet "C-D-F-E," the first note is the tonic key of that "tune."
Here's the big clue:
Jupiter Symphony
4th movement (final clue)
The next comment will be the answer to the riddle and its explanation.
The first melody notes of the 4th movement of Mozart's Symphony No. 41 "Jupiter" are C-D-F-E. So the key of the hypothetical Brahms 5th Symphony would have been...A, because that's the NEXT melody note in that Mozart movement.
Brahms loved the music of Mozart. He also loved practical jokes. This is one of the reasons why Charlie Pikler's riddle is very clever. It's also, perhaps, a bit contrived (which is why I posted it under "What's the best compliment you ever had" because the conductor who presented it to me was surprised and impressed that I got the intended answer--especially since I'm not usually very good at riddles).
"Your conducting not only directs the band and brings out the best sounds, but also entertains the audience. You gesticulate like a mad professor."
- a person from the audience after a community concert
"La Donna e mobile", the famous tenor aria in Verdi's "Rigoletto", opens with a booming b-natural. One night, the performance was moving along nicely but a good note at the right time can serve to wake up drowsy listeners in the audience. I gave the note a hearty blow but what came out was one of the biggest bloopers I ever produced; what was supposed to be a b-natural came out sideways. The note could have been heard all the way to the Hofbrau Haus.The result was a mass of chuckles from the audience and the compliment from one of our trumpet players sitting in front of me. "Do that again and we will give you two cases of beer." One aspect of famous bloopers: one never forgets them.... and if nothing else: anyone who makes that one will be wide awake for the Tempesta which follows in the fouth act.
Plastic duck race down the Capilano River, and we were playing "Anchor's Aweigh" for the off. A passing Afghan hound fell deeply under the spell of the music, braced all four paws against the ground, lifted its muzzle, and wailed along with the band - completely imovable until the end of the piece.
"That tuba has a nice sound." (referring to the instrument, not the player, LOL).
For the actual compliment - I was playing a Kopprasch etude in a lesson with Mr. Jacobs. When I finished, I received the proverbial slap on the knee and he said "Now that's air support!"
A musician friend had seen my funk brass band play a festival in the park with his wife and daughter (about 6 years old).
A few weeks later I happened to be on a gig with him and we rehearsed at his home. We came in and he looked at me with a twinkle in his eye and said, "she's really excited you're coming".
His daughter came in with a giant stuffed snake toy wrapped around her like a sousaphone with the head where the bell would be, making "boomp boomp boomp" tuba sounds with her mouth. Apparently she'd been parading around the house like that ever since she first saw me play!
1. From a young conductor I greatly respect, whom I've played in pit orchestras for - "He's the best Bass Bone / Tuba doubler in the land". I'm not so sure of that, but gee, thanks.
2. From a friend who plays Trumpet and Percussion, who was listening to a recording of "It Is Well With My Soul" I had just made, with me playing three parts on a DEG two piston G Baritone Bugle to a MIDI accompaniment - "Let it never be said that you can't play in tune". Given the criticism the old G bugles have gotten over the decades, I really concentrated on balance, blend, musicianship and intonation while making that recording, so I really appreciated that comment. I just wish I had more time to make the recording better that it turned out, but it was for my late mother-in-law's funeral, and I was running out of time. One of these years, I intend to completely re-record it, accompaniment and all.
Last edited by Conn 2J CC on Fri May 05, 2017 1:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
TubaChirstmas, I am just one of 300, "We like the sound of your tuba best". Non tuba, copy of a waltz I wrote for a 106 year old lady, went with her into her grave six months latter. I had to play it on my cello five times at her last Birthday party. Her knees danced and danced as she sat in her big over stuffed chair. Its called "Winifred's Waltz"
I'm currently at the Lamont school of Music at DU in Denver studying with Warren Deck. When I had my first lesson with Warren Deck, I played the first movement of the gregson and some popular orchestral excerpts. I finished and he gave me a standing ovation. I'll never forget what he said "That was excellent, the tone was full, rich and colorful, your valve technique is quite good too. Your articulation (which I had been working on daily for the past year) is superb. Quite nice! It was nice to hear that from "an actual professional" as my teacher would often say. That complement has never left me.
The kicker was, "Too bad you did all of that wonderful stuff about 15% of the time!" He then gave me a smile that made his eyes twinkle and said "let's get to work"
Band transcription of the first movement of the Bolling Suite for flute and jazz piano. I was playing upright bass. Flutes stood. Clarinets stood. Conductor yelled out my name and gestured for me to stand. Big swell in applause, and cheering. I'm sure it wasn't as loud as I remember, but it sure felt good!
When I left the brass band I had been part of since it started 22 years earlier, during my final concert the band gave me a standing ovation. Probably the greatest honor I've had as a musician.
