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Ok, I realize that I'm relatively new to the tuba world and I have allot to learn about tuba literature yet. But one thing that , well for lack of a better way to put it, bothers me about the solo literature for tuba is the busy middle/slow movements. It reminds me of a bad singer trying to trick up the Nation Anthem. Can't we just get a nice melody to sing out? Why all the noodling? I really like the Barnes middle movement, but it is busy with allot of ornamental notes. I like the opening of the RVW second movement then it gets entirely to busy and frankly to my ears sounds bad. One thing I love about the Barnes middle movement is it is in a range I would consider stereotypical/unique to the tuba and what I want to hear when listening to a tuba solo. I don't want to hear a tuba at the top of it's range for the majority of the piece. I can understand why the Mozart and Strauss Horn Concerto's are popular, as they have beautiful middle movements without all the noodling going on. Are there any tuba concerto's/sonata's that don't have overly noodley( I realize this is very subjective ) middle movements that aren't in the top part of the staff the whole movement?

PS. I'm not trying to offend, I just would like a nice melody to sing out in a range that I consider the most beautiful for the Tuba.

The Barbara York "Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra" has a lovely 2nd movement that is lyric and melodic and smooth and not noodley at all. Take a look at it. The range is treble F and it is more suited for an F tuba than a contra but it is lovely and playable as written. I am doing that movement on October 26, in Portland, OR. The conductor, when hearing it, exclaimed "That is Drop Dead Gorgeous!"

But, that said, I do agree with you, in general. We seem to have an inferiority complex about tuba agility that leads people to write these complex lines leading to not very much else but complexity. I have often thought a really fine tuba concerto could be made of Doris Day ballads or some other set of lovely songs (Academy Award winners, Joe Williams' ballads . . . ). YMMV

I really like the second movement of the Frackenpohl concertino. Very nice melody, no noodling. Not very technically challenging, so I guess it isn't "cool" enough for some.

In response to your question, I very much suspect that it is the range of the instrument. In "busy" slow movements, it is possible for the audience to hear quicker (& lighter!) motifs that might otherwise be swept up in the accompaniment of a faster compositional style.

Bob1062 wrote:Also, WHY does the 2nd movement have to be slow?

Tradition, going back to the sonatas of the late baroque. As does the "ornamentation" which was far more practically heard in the slow movement.

Of course, almost anything goes for form these days, so it's just what the composers choose.

windshieldbug wrote:

Bob1062 wrote:Also, WHY does the 2nd movement have to be slow?

Tradition, going back to the sonatas of the late baroque. As does the "ornamentation" which was far more practically heard in the slow movement.

Of course, almost anything goes for form these days, so it's just what the composers choose.

1st Fast for attention
2nd slow for sentiments
3rd folksy dance
4th very fast for attention

So or almost so was the classical symphony pattern.

The original inspiration likely was sequences of dances. Maybe modern raves are different (how would an old man know), but the rule of thumb for early rock inspired bands in rural dance halls over here was: to hurtige og en sjæler (two fast ones and a ballad). That would keep the floor alive.

Klaus