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Concerto in D Minor for Oboe by Albinoni.

I really like the Brahms and Beethoven Concertos for both the Violin and Piano and am partial to the Shosty A minor Violin Concerto and all solo works by Bartok. Tuba solos bore me. However, the tuba as a solo instrument within a greater context is nice, particularly the Passacaglia Movement from the Shosty A minor. Dandy tuba stuff.

Chuck"using the widest possible lattitude within the framework of the original question"Jackson

Tuba solos bore me

WHAT?!?!?!

Why in the world would you say that on a TUBA FORUM?

if you're talking about tuba's playing solos, I would disagree

if you're saying there isn't rep for tubas, again, I would disagree.

Bo "Doesn't know why someone would say something anti-tuba soloist on a tuba forum" Atlas

I stand by my statement, with a couple of caveats:

When Eli Newberger solos, he doesn't bore me.
When Don Kinch or George Bruns soloed, they didn't bore me.
Although all of the solos he played were in a greater context, Joe Novotny didn't bore me.
Although he just laid down the tastiest two-beat of all times, Bob Short never bored me.

The Vaughn-Williams, Gregson, etc bore me because they are mediocre peices of music. I am not bored by "Asleep in the Deep", "Tubby the Tuba", "Solo Pomposo", "Teddy Bears Picnic" because they do what they set out to do, entertain. The tuba is an instrument of power and limited aural fascination. Wagner understood this, the sum total of the "Fafner" solos are less than 2 minutes. In 17 hours that's not much. Reveultas stretched us with "Sensemaya" and "Redes", but they are in the greater context. I would much rather attend a concert where the tuba player "sells" the 2nd movement of the New World than sit through an hours worth of scholastic, pedantic, and ultimately boring, tuba solos. The only "Tuba Solo" cd I own: Sumner's Vasiliev Etudes. Might be the best tuba playing ever set down and HE SAYS something. Personally, I would rather listen to a tuba in context anytime, in any setting other than as a soloist. If I want to hear someone play high, I'll listen to the Euphonium, which sound inherently better at it than 99% of tuba players out there.

Chuck

I think that there are two issues afoot, here. One is the sound of the tuba, as a solo voice, and the other is the quality of the notes that the instrument gets to play.

I personally think that the Dvorak Cello Concerto is the greatest thing since sliced bread! Unfortunately, there has been nothing of that quality written for tuba.....yet! Even the Vaughan-Williams, whose slow movement, in my humble opinion, is the among the most beautiful music written for the instrument, so far, does not approach that level of writing.

I fully believe, that if we ever get a piece written on the level of the world's greatest concertos, that people will be glad to listen to the tuba, as a solo instrument, because it is really about the music, and NOT the instrument.

People's boredom, I believe, stems from the the lack of quality in the music, and not the instrument, itself.

Wonderin' how it would work to take some of that Stanley Clark stuff and hit it with a tuba. Genuine cool? Or like an intractable dork trying to be cool?
(Hot Fun)
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(The Album)
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R-E-S-P-E-C-T
sock it to me sock it to me ...

Chuck Jackson wrote:The only "Tuba Solo" cd I own: Sumner's Vasiliev Etudes. Might be the best tuba playing ever set down and HE SAYS something.

This is a nice CD. Not only is the playing exceptional, but the recording really captures the tuba "sound" well.

BTW, Chuck, I saw Sam Jones a few weeks ago and he told me his tuba concerto should be released this fall by Naxos. The CD is an all-Jones and includes the Palo Duro Canyon Symphony (I think that's No.3).

I really like the Barnes Concerto. It's such a fun piece to listen to and the cadenzas are quirky yet virtuostic.


As a represenative of the tuba, I think I'd put the Ride.

I am sorry if I caused a couple of you heartburn. MY OPINION stands and I won't back down from it. It doesn't matter who I am or what I do or have done, the simple matter is that I find tuba solos boring. It is not an indictment on anyone elses feelings, I am actually surprised that some of you would get your proverbial knickers in a knot over MY opinion. The tuba has a wonderful sonic input within the greater context of an ensemble. The Chorale of Mahler's 2nd wouldn't work without the tuba. The most virtuosic tuba part I have ever seen, the tuba part to Strauss' Salome, is not virtuosic for virtuosity's sake, every note is important. The chorale from the New World is a shining example of a perfectly written tuba part in context. Sure it's doubled with the bass trombone, but without it the colors are all wrong. A march doesn't work without a tuba, the Bozza Sonatine for Brass Quintet needs to color of the tuba, along with a myriad of other pieces where the tuba is part of the fabric of sound and adds it's particular color to the weave. Alone, well the tuba is boring. Even Tuba Ensembles get sonically dull for me after a while, but that is MY opinion. I don't hate the tuba, I just love it in context. Nothing should upset anyone about this, so please get a grip. Of the two, tuba or euphonium, the Euphonium has the greatest potential for a musically astute concerto because of the timbre of sound and the inherent facility of the instrument. Again, MY opinion.

Chuck

Nope, Doc, you are watching someones back. I love you for it.

Chuck

James, when you have done 1/4 of what I have on the tuba, you can say something. Up until then you are a kid. Want a taste of what I have done? Go here

lvyo.org

and scroll down to Directors. That is just a small part of it. BTW: I have performed over 35 DIFFERENT tuba solos in my career and I still think they are boring. My favorite? Solo Pomposo because it was entertaining. Please get off whatever soapbox you think you belong on and remember what Mark Twain said:

"It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought a fool than open it and erase all doubt"

Oh yeah, learn how to spell while you're at it.

Chuck

tubashaman wrote: As freelance musicians and even studio performers, you shouldnt have to play what you dont like to play...

You are in for a rude awakening, buddy.

Just wanted to save that for posterity...

Odd how much the word "posterity" and "posterior" are alike, aren't they Scoob? Must have been a Freudian slip. Well done.

Tubashaman-nobody loved playing the tuba IN CONTEXT more than I. Type in "Focal Dystonia" in the search box and you will find out why I don't play anymore. I guess after 35 years of playing professionally (yes, I started making $$$ playing when I was 12. Polkas, Doc, don't you love it?) I haven't got squat to say. Tours with Pavarotti and Bocelli, Regional orchestra gigs, solos, Trad. Playing, Polka playing, Circus playing, and teaching on a college level, I haven't got squat to say. But, hey, good luck to you. Reality is a bitch, watch out for it.

Chuck"I'm with Doc, time to let this go"Jackson

Chuck Jackson wrote:

Just wanted to save that for posterity...

Type in "Focal Dystonia" in the search box and you will find out why I don't play anymore.

Did I mention I love you Chuck!? You have had a bigger impact on some people than you will ever realize. Your story has helped one person I was very close to, stay sane. Thank you.

Plus another I wasn't that close to, but we won't go into that.

Doc wrote:YOU DA MAN, Chuck. Yeah, I started gigging before I could drive, too. My mother drove me to my first gig (polka) at a German restaurant. Me and the accordian-playing owner. Got paid $30, free meal, and a couple beers (my mother was a good German, ya know). It's been downhill ever since. I didn't even let that 5 years as a tuba performance major get in the way of my downhill slide. Now here I am at the bottom - a disrespectfu, overly-opinionated amateur bitch. Who knew?

Doc (who wouldn't change a thing)

A regular Jim Dorschner were you?


Bitch is such a.... strong word.... How about dark. Very dark.

Yeesh, I think it's time to put this topic train back on the tracks!

As far as popular within the tuba community goes, I've always been partial to Penderecki's Cappricio. Call me crazy, but I like that piece. I'm also a big fan of the Hindemith Sonate. Again, call me crazy.....

As far as outside the tuba community, I guess there really isn't much to talk about. I'm not a big fan of theme-and-variations warhorses, so I'm pretty much out of luck.

And, fellow tubenetters, remember that this is the Internet. All of these little, [or, as it seems here, big] arguments are nothing more than little bits of data that have come from little circuit points struck by finger-propelled plastic keys. Unlike in other forms of communication, there's practically nothing you can do to get back at someone else who may or may not be slandering you, so it's best to just ignore and forget . Plus, arguing like this turns the tubenet into just another bicker-filled forum, like the majority of other forums out there in the ether. Just my two cents on this little topic......

My vote is for Sumner Erickson's Vasiliev Cycle. Just goes to show you what one man with a vision can do with notes on the page.

BTW: I am the #1 person in the "Doc Hall of Fame". You don't need no stinking fancy job to be a hell of a player. Doc's recordings have bounced around here for a while. He is the real deal, both personally and professionally. His playing makes me miss the tuba in a big way.

BTW; Taught tuba at the United States Armed Forces School of Music from March of 86 to November of 89 and Old Dominion University 1988-89.

Chuck"breathing a sigh of relief and about to pop the cap on a Pilsner Urquell in honor of Doc. Ten Fat Dutchmen already cued up"Jackson

Doc wrote: Hey fatness,

I'm really a nice guy, but I speak my mind in person, too. Nothing inconsistent here with me.

AND, you're not fond of theme and variations? Not even Beelzebub? Surely you jest, my friend...?

While we're throwing out some modern music, how about Leroy Osmun's 10 Concert Etudes (Dave Kirk's recording is FANTASTIC).

Doc

My little post was not aimed at any one particular person; I merely despise Internet bickering in any form. It's just not my bag, per se.

Theme-and-variations are good at what they do, it's just that they get a little on my nerves after awhile. Call me old-[or new]-fashioned.