Mendelssohn Reformation Symphony

[jsswadley]

Have any of you been asked to play the Mendelssohn Fifth Symphony (Reformation) on tuba? If so, is there also a contrabasoon player in your orchestra? Any replies appreciated, John

[Chuck Jackson]

In my career it has come up twice. Once, the contrabassoonist did it, the second time I did on my small F. I really don't think it made too much difference. The piece could be done without either as it is padding for the bass line. Here is an interesting question. Would you play Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage or leave it to the contrabassoon? Tougher part than the 5th.

Chuck

[tubaman5150]

I've also played this an octave down, but the conductor edited my part where he wanted me to play.

[Steve Oberheu]

We played this back in January. The conductor wanted the piece on tuba because no, we did not have a contrabassoon and the orchestra did not want to pay to hire one. It worked fine on F tuba at the notated pitch.

[vmi5198]

I played the Dvorak Serenade 8vb in university, and it was great! The Director of winds spoke to me after the concert and said that she preferred it with a tuba from now on! What a compliment!

Mark.

[ahowle]

When I was at Brevard, one of the orchestras did the Reformation Symphony and used a tuba, however this was one of the weeks during which I was not playing in the orchestra. From what I understood from what the guy who did play it on tuba, it was kind of a silly thing to do...he said it went pretty high, from what I remember, and didn't really serve much of a purpose.

[Z-Tuba Dude]

It seems to me that if you are covering a contrabassoon part, that it has to be played down the octave!

When the music was written, the part was intended to sound in the lower octave. To do otherwise, is to distort the composer's intention.

Same thing when playing string bass parts. The music won't sound right, if the part is played as written.

[Biggs]

Pardon my ignorance, but how can you not know which instrument to play it on? Is it one part that says contrabassoon/tuba at the top?

[Z-Tuba Dude]

I think the issue is that some orchestras don't have a contrabassoon available.

[tubaman5150]

Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 5 "Reformation" was originally scored for contrabassoon and serpent. The serpent played at pitch while the contrabasson doubled an octave down. The "contrabasson/tuba" moniker was put on there by an editor. The part was not really intended to be the bass brass part, but as a member of the woodwind section.
Mendelssohn was a strict traditionalist and one of the forerunners of absolute music in the Romantic era. The way he used the serpent here was the traditional way it had been used (rarely) in a orchestral setting. It was mostly used to double bassoons. Berlioz also employed this technique ala Symphonie Fantastique. Also, the "Reformations" symphony was based on a Lutheran chorale, so it had a strong religious context. The serpent's original use was to double voices in a church setting.
The part can certainly be played down the octave on a contrabass tuba, but I believe the part needs a little editing in order to keep from obliterating the chamber woodwind moments.
If played at pitch, I would use a small bass tuba or even a euphonium to maintain the texture.
Sorry for the long-winded post.