Anyone else run into this one?

[AndyCat]

It's true, a lot of the European publishers are sending these parts in their Brass Band sets now, along with the "standard" BBb Bass treble clef parts.

I rip them up as soon as they are handed out, especially in youth bands, as many a learner can go a whole piece without realising what's wrong or knowing what to do about it. I've found if I just "hide" them, they're the first parts to be given out when spares are needed!

I think it's bad enough having bass clef, Bb treble and Eb treble as it is thankyou very much!

[corbasse]

Similarly, there's a Dutch arrangement of An American in Paris that calls for 2 baritones, 2 "tubas", and basses. After the conductor pointing out that the "tubas" were not being heard, we eventually discovered that the score AND the parts were mislabeled and the part was obviously meant for euphoniums. Trouble was we didn't have enough people to cover all 6 combined parts.

Good times.

Here in Belgium, a tuba IS a euphonium. A tuba is called bass tuba. (Only in Belgium, not in Holland) So the score wasn't mislabled, it was just labled correctly for a tiny little corner of the world.

[UDELBR]

Lew is correct: I've actually played 1 or 2 "real" brass band parts, and this wasn't one of 'em!

1 or 2's not a lot, is it?

... a guy who gets patronised by someone calling himself Uncle Beer!

Uncle Beer cautiously backs away from confrontation, as scottw clearly knows how to use Big Font.

[MaryAnn]

Well, how does this info reflect on the flames on the band director who told his student that when he got a CC tuba he had to transpose?

MA, who thinks the band director was just using "transpose" instead of "use different fingerings" to try to communicate.

[TubaRay]

Well, how does this info reflect on the flames on the band director who told his student that when he got a CC tuba he had to transpose?

MA, who thinks the band director was just using "transpose" instead of "use different fingerings" to try to communicate.

I believe you are most likely correct, Mary Ann. I would not use such terminology to describe this, at least ordinarily, however I might include such in a description to a student. In such a case, I believe it would be very important to indicate to the student that he/she must learn new fingerings, however.

[Adam C.]

Thanks Corbasse, good information for the next time we do a Belgian band piece

[scottw]

I think the transposed bass parts are solely a Low Countries thing, different from the British brass band tradition. I've never seen a brass band chart use Bb bass clef.

I remember the confusion De Meij's LOTR caused the first time we read it also.

Similarly, there's a Dutch arrangement of An American in Paris that calls for 2 baritones, 2 "tubas", and basses. After the conductor pointing out that the "tubas" were not being heard, we eventually discovered that the score AND the parts were mislabeled and the part was obviously meant for euphoniums. Trouble was we didn't have enough people to cover all 6 combined parts.

Good times.

I had a chance to look over 1 of the parts in question and found that one--Franzoesische Suite fur 10 Blechblaeser, Debussy, arr. Helmut Egli was published in Switzerland! Could this phenomenon be spreading further than the Low Countries? Egads!

[corbasse]

I just recieved a large stack of parts from the wind band I'll be playing with this summer. (after only 8 months of tuba playing )
All parts are bass clef, transposed a ninth, regardless of place of publishing. Even the U.S editions have these parts!

I like them. 2nd space C is H2 so I can use fingerings I'm used to on french horn, and the entire part falls on the staff for 90% of the time.