Bach cello suites, for tuba

[Sam Gnagey]

My teacher, Bill Bell, had us do the cello suites on CC tuba but read them as if we were playing them on F. The written F in the staff sounded as the second space C. That broght them down into a more playable range and also gave us a lot of experience learing F fingerings. Give it a try. Tell us what you think. Of course we used the original cello versions for this.
Now I like to play them in the written octave but on the appropriate key for the key of the suite (ie. d minor suite on F tuba, Eb suite on Eb tuba, C suite on CC tuba, G suite seems best on F).

[Art Hovey]

I like David Cooper's trumpet book of the cello suites, published by Charles Colin. I practice them each in two keys; in treble clef as written (but down a couple of octaves) and also in psuedo-bass clef (adding three flats and pretending it's in bass clef) Both ways work well for tuba. The charts are clearly printed and easy to read, and Cooper has put a lot of thought into them.

[Tubadork]

Hi,
Mark Lusk (bass trombonist teacher at Penn State) wrote a great book it's called the trombonists guide to the Bach cello suites (or something like that I don't have it in front of me) He outlines a way to play them, how to make your own editions and an example of one that he did (2nd). There is also a cd where he plays some of the examples and he also plays the 2nd suite. Then all of the suites are listed with no articulations (trying to be the Urtext version) however I think there are some wrong notes in Marks book, so I would buy a cello version (Urtext) and check it from there.
There are also some people out there now who are playing them (pro's) and you might want to just check in with them and see what their opinions are.
Hope that helps,
Bill Pritchard

[Rick Denney]

Is there an authoratative edition of the compleat Bach cello suites for tuba available?

Look for the Peters Edition. It's available from most sheet music sources.

There are no editorial markings, phrase endings, bowings, or anything of the kind. It's all up to you. But for $12, you'll have it all.

If adding the editorial markings is too difficult (as it is for me), get a recording that displays the musicality that moves you, and mark the music accordingly. Remember, though, that tuba players have to make different choices than cello players, so in the end you'll most likely have to find a musical compromise.

To me, the real value of the cello suites is not the technical challenge of getting the notes (though much of it is technically beyond me), it's the greater challenge of finding the musical interpretation that works. Long after I improve to the point of getting the notes comfortably--hey, it could happen--I'll still be trying to figure out the music.

Rick "who warns that many waves have crashed on that rocky shore" Denney

[Chuck(G)]

To me, the real value of the cello suites is not the technical challenge of getting the notes (though much of it is technically beyond me), it's the greater challenge of finding the musical interpretation that works. Long after I improve to the point of getting the notes comfortably--hey, it could happen--I'll still be trying to figure out the music.

Good one, Rick.

I've heard Casals, Slava and Meyer each play the first suite live in concert (i.e., I'm old enough) and the effect was magic in each case, yet each performance was different.

I've got a CD that Ralph Sauer gave me of his doing the suites on trombone. Very competent, but not magic. Perhaps it's the lmitation of wind instruments, or maybe it's a deeper understanding of the music that only a string player can acquire.

"Understanding" these things would be very hard work for a wind player, it seems to me. If one wanted to do a thorogh job of mastering them, maybe a study of cello technique would be high on the list, right there with learning how to dance a sarabande or a courante.

Sauer did mention to me that his inspiration for tackling the cello suites was Don Harry's performance of them years ago. Does anyone know if there's a recording of Mr. Harry playing them?

[MartyNeilan]

Naked
That is how it feels to actually perform from the Suites in public. I had the opportunity to perform the two Minuets from Suite 1 at my school's new recital hall today. I could not believe how naked in every way I felt while playing them. Partly because they are unaccompanied and you are all alone on that stage, but also because you are completely bearing your heart and soul in them. You cannot wind 'em up and let 'em go like many pieces, there is a lifetime of expression in every line. It isn't hard to see why the composer had so many children