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I was watching this DVD and thought the tuba played in the group "Blech & Co" very interesting with a 3+3 valve set-up. I presume it must be an F, but anyone know what it is?

<a><img src="http://lh4.google.com/Jonathantuba/Rv6G ... h.JPG"></a>

<a><img src="http://lh4.google.com/Jonathantuba/Rv6G ... 2.JPG"></a>

The only small 6 valve tubas I know of with that valve setting are french C tubas...the only f tubas I've seen with 6 valves are 4+2 valve settings...but I don't know.

It's an F tuba with the Vienna 3+3 valve system.

The thumb ring looks like Cerveny, but there's no telling what it could be. Probably built in Austria or Czechoslovakia.

From the valve slide layout, it appears that it could be an M-W, and from looking at the valve linkage, that thing is probably at least a 80's vintage or earlier. There are any number of small shops with the capability to make custom tubas in europe, though. As a matter of fact, I played a couple of 6-valve F's at the Alexander workshop in this configuration. Could it be an Alex?

Not necessarily on a custom job.

cjk wrote:It's an F tuba with the Vienna 3+3 valve system.

Yup. The standard tuba in the Vienna Phil for a long, long time. Jacobs played one by Dehmal for a while in response to a request from Reiner, after the Maestro had guest-conducted in Vienna.

The six-valve configuration was an 1870's innovation on the original 1836 Uhlmann five-valve F (which itself was a rotary-valve version of the Moritz five-valve F with Berlinerpumpen). According to Bevan, they were no longer made after the 20's, but were revived with a new design by Musica in the early 80's. This instrument would seem to refute that belief--it is certainly not a Musica--though it may have been made more recently than that.

Rick "Bevan is your friend" Denney

Rick Denney wrote:

cjk wrote:It's an F tuba with the Vienna 3+3 valve system.

The six-valve configuration was an 1870's innovation on the original 1836 Uhlmann five-valve F (which itself was a rotary-valve version of the Moritz five-valve F with Berlinerpumpen). According to Bevan, they were no longer made after the 20's, but were revived with a new design by Musica in the early 80's. This instrument would seem to refute that belief--it is certainly not a Musica--though it may have been made more recently than that.

There have definitely been vienna-layout horns made since 1920, and before the early 1980s. Played two of them at Alexander five years or so ago.

Just as an off-glance, looks rather Alexander-ish to me.

Rick Denney wrote:

cjk wrote:It's an F tuba with the Vienna 3+3 valve system.

Yup. The standard tuba in the Vienna Phil for a long, long time. Jacobs played one by Dehmal for a while in response to a request from Reiner, after the Maestro had guest-conducted in Vienna.

The six-valve configuration was an 1870's innovation on the original 1836 Uhlmann five-valve F (which itself was a rotary-valve version of the Moritz five-valve F with Berlinerpumpen). According to Bevan, they were no longer made after the 20's, but were revived with a new design by Musica in the early 80's. This instrument would seem to refute that belief--it is certainly not a Musica--though it may have been made more recently than that.

Rick "Bevan is your friend" Denney

Musica was what I was trying to remember and would be my best guess. However, I think I found a picture of the "new" (Musica) Wiener tuba and it does not appear to be the instrument pictured above. All I can contribute to the thread is what the tuba above is NOT, rather than what it is.

http://www.gratis-webserver.de/brass/4.html



It's definitely not an Alexander. The Alex Wiener tubas have vertical tuning slides.

It's not a Miraphone Wiener tuba, here's a picture of one (Sam Gnagey's):


It's not a Scherzer either:

http://www.rugs-n-relics.com/Brass/tuba ... -Tuba.html

During my time in Europe, I saw many non-standard tubas, and many very old tubas that had been restored to like-new and were in use.

In the U.S., we get very much locked-into a mindset of only certain models, because no manufacturer in the U.S. has custom-built tubas in a long time. This is not the case in Europe, however. I know from experience that Rudolf Meinl will build you anything you want, as long as you're prepared to pay for it, and I think that is typical of most German/Czech instrument makers. I witnessed a German community band setting up on a stage in Munich, saw a tuba player un-case a Mirafone 190 kaiser BBb, then realized that the huge Mirafone had 3 rotary valves. In Deutschland, you may see any combination of valves on any instrument.

Judging from the photos provided, the braces and overall construction looks like a Munich-made tuba, ie., Melton (Meinl-Weston), Boehm & Meinl, or possibly a Sander. This instrument does not have the design of an Alexander, Mirafone, or Czech-made tuba. Although it could possibly be a very early Rudolf Meinl, I tend to doubt it. The main tuning slide design also suggests that the tuba could be an Eb, not really common, but quite possible.

Lee Stofer wrote:In the U.S., we get very much locked-into a mindset of only certain models, because no manufacturer in the U.S. has custom-built tubas in a long time. This is not the case in Europe, however. I know from experience that Rudolf Meinl will build you anything you want, as long as you're prepared to pay for it, and I think that is typical of most German/Czech instrument makers.

Absolutely right. Not sure what make it is, but I'm sure he likes it and sounds great on it.

jonesbrass wrote:I'm sure he likes it and sounds great on it.

It certainty sounds great on the DVD!

Assuming it is a Vienna F, does anyone know what each valve does? I kind of remember reading somewhere that the left hand equates to the normal 1+2+3 (which I suppose would be good for a previous horn player)?

windshieldbug wrote:From Phil's "Old and Odd" Brass Musical Instrument Gallery

"the upper three valves, on the left side of the instrument are "1 - 2 - 3" as commonly found on most tubas. On the lower right, the third (sixth) valve is 2 1/2 tones, effectively a "fourth valve". The fifth valve is a compensated half-tone, relative to the sixth. ... The first / fourth valve on the right is the same as the regular third valve, one and a half tones."

Apparently, these things were originally played by the horn players of the WP.

Neptune wrote:...
Assuming it is a Vienna F, does anyone know what each valve does? I kind of remember reading somewhere that the left hand equates to the normal 1+2+3 (which I suppose would be good for a previous horn player)?

The normal 1-2-3 valves are in the left hand (for bass player doubles?) but the right hand can be any number of combinations. The 4th valve (counting down from the top) is often a perfect fourth, the 5th valve on my Scherzer was a sharp half step and the 6th valve was a sharp two whole steps. Fingerings were a nightmare and the low register is an acquired taste, at best.

I'm trying to figure out how he's holding it up; it looks too high to be sitting on a chair or in his lap, and I can't see a harness. Only thing I can see that could be doing any holding at all is his right pinky, which would explain the expression on his face. Is there more to the picture?

MA

MaryAnn wrote:I'm trying to figure out how he's holding it up; it looks too high to be sitting on a chair or in his lap, and I can't see a harness. Only thing I can see that could be doing any holding at all is his right pinky, which would explain the expression on his face. Is there more to the picture?

The picture is a screen print from the DVD which I have just watched again. The further view below indicates he is not using a strap and I really cannot see how he is holding it up! In the DVD he is even swaying to music with the tuba.

<a><img src="http://lh6.google.com/Jonathantuba/RwLX ... e.JPG"></a>

Incidentally, elsewhere on the DVD there is a chap playing a Fafner while standing (also without strap)

Hello all,
The mentioned DVD is a collection of selected band performances belonging to a series, sent every Saturday in Bavarian TV, available via the Astra-satellit.
Georg Ried tells stories about Bavarian castles, sandwiched with top-class South German bands, performing on site.
The series ended two weeks ago but will be raised again next year.
I've recorded most of the programs and seen that Markus Abold is not the only guy playing this 6-valved Vienna tuba. Obviously it's still quite popular.
I can highly recommend the programs and will for sure keep seeing them.
Home site: http://www.br-online.de/land-und-leute/ ... /index.xml
Best regards,
Lars hinter der Tuba

Bob1062 wrote:
What I don't understand is why Oystein and Sheridan don't use a strap. Does anyone anymore?!?

When I saw Sheridan he used a strap. Might be 'cuz the concert was close to two hours long. What a hoss.....

AVC