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For a good recording check out the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble's with the Cambridge Singers, City of London Sinfonia, conducted by the composer. John Fletcher in all his glory, and what glory it is. Fletcher did it on a Besson EEb IIRC. Have fun, you're a lucky guy to get to play it.

tubashaman wrote:so my CC would be the ideal horn, thanks Joe

Trumpets and trombones....meeh they might get it, we have a good choir and conductor.....i cant wait

C or F will work. I have done it on both and usually let whatever the other pieces on the program are dictate the horn I bring. I have not played it in a while, but for a few years I was playing it 3-4 times a year. I think it is a fun chart as long as the conductor has decent stick skills.

bloke wrote:Your biggest solo is a huge Bb below the staff (first note of the piece). You need to use a tuba that makes that note (very loud) sound like the center of the universe (as would a Holton BB-345, etc.). If you do that successfully, you can screw up elsewhere a little bit and still be a hero.

The piece is in three movements. The first movement is in triple meter - one to the bar. The second movement is slow (organ solos, etc.), and the third movement is fast (about the same speed as the first) but not in triple meter.

If there are good trumpet/trombone players, a good choir, and a conductor who has a sense of time, you should have a lot of fun.

It is not an orchestral work...' only trumpets, trombones, tuba, timpani, organ, choir

Actually, there is a full orchestral version in addition to the version you are refering to. I've played both, which are very similar, but I seem to remember that the orchestral version does not require the trumpets to play as acrobatically and the tuba part has a few less notes.

Any bass conical brass instrument will do. It's an easy part, and not very interesting. I believe the ensemble is too small for a BAT. I used a 184 CC both times I've performed it. Fletch proved it didn't need a BAT.

J.c.

I played this last year on Bass Bone. The tuba player was using a largish F bass, sounded great.

Hopefully your director will know how to direct for the brass. Ours (choir director) was waiving his hands around for the choir through some tricky meter changes. The high concentration level to get through those sections was exhausting.

This piece can really wake up a big hall. Enjoy!

tubashaman wrote:Both the Orchestra and Choir directors are REALLY good at waving their arms around

Hear! Hear! I resemble that remark!

Actually the only time I've done it I was singing and wishing to be playing instead. Our director commented to the brass pros before the rehearsal something like, "I will be conducting the choir here and here. You are on your own. They need me more than you do and you are being paid a lot more than them." It is a great piece to sing, play or conduct. Hopefully it will cross my path again some day.

I'm hearing I'll also be getting this later this year for our church - I played it in college and loved it. I can't wait!

I've played this maybe 3 times on bass trombone, an it's a terrific piece. Dynamics are always the issue with this piece; the parts are marked with big dynamics, and the brass sectionals always sounded magnificent at big dynamics, but the type of chamber choirs that like to perform this piece are easily overwhelmed. Discretion where possible, but pick your moments, as there are a few good spots to open out.

Andrew

Many people have responded by saying to pay really loud. Please do not embarrass yourself and the whole tuba community. Keep it musical. Consider the size of your choir. If it is a large 100 voice choir maybe you can play at a forte level. Otherwise you will be sucking it in for most of the performance. I have performed this piece about 6 times with various choral societies and in all but one instance I had to play very small otherwise the brass would easily drown out the choir.

It is written fast and loud and very rhythmic. it is more important to be acurate and keep the tempo and rhtyhm steady rather than to simply be loud.

k

tbn.al wrote:Actually the only time I've done it I was singing and wishing to be playing instead.

Ditto. Had to fulfill my choral requirement.

ken k wrote:Please do not embarrass yourself and the whole tuba community.

Must...Bite...Tongue......

I must have played this thing a dozen times. A couple of iterations ago I did it with a local group (120 singers or so), whose director and I have worked together many times over the years - as instrumentalists, singers, directors, all kinds of venues and genres. I took my Alex (well, then my Alex - now Tuben's) to the rehearsal. It was in a local cathedral (locally known as "Mother of God") that possesses perhaps the friendliest acoustic characteristics in this area for tuba. I honestly wasn't trying to dominate, but I did. Nailed everything - still it was embarrassing. I'm supposedly a musician. Afterward he asked me PU-LEEZ to bring my 184 for the performance. I still had to hold back throughout. I think even a little bitty Caravelle "commuter" would have worked in that setting.

I've played it a few times. The church was always boomy. The choir was always too small to be heard over the brass ensemble. The Eb wasn't small enough to avoid playing down a dynamic level for the whole chart.

If you're going to play it for a packed audience that will deaden the room, AND the choir numbers at least 100, you might be able to play a normal forte when it's marked. Otherwise, don't get your hopes up.

guilty as charged, bloke....


There are a few choice solo notes in it and there are times when the brass plays without the choir when you can play full.

But like I said it seems whenever I play with a choir i end up playing as soft as possible and still get the hand...

k

Great part. I got to play it with 750 voices a few years ago, didn't have to hold back that much...
Like most things, count like crazy and play with a good sound and you'll have a ball.
Enjoy!
SG

I've only sung this, nice piece.

I'd say bloke is right, and that there are a few exposed notes. I'd also agree with most of the other commentors that it's reeeeaaalllllyyyy easy to overdo it. As a learning experience, think of it as learning to blend and accompany. This is not NOT an orchestra/brass ensemble piece. it is a church choir piece with accompaniment.

There is a recording on youtube that shows a condensed score if that will help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heyVgYDu0rw

d

wchoc86 wrote:

Doug@GT wrote:There is a recording on youtube that shows a condensed score if that will help:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heyVgYDu0rw

d

that's a damn good recording, I'm thinking the tuba part in the score in the video is 8va though? (basing that on bloke's comments about the low B-flat, I'm unfamiliar with the part).

That's the Philip Jones (with John Fletcher) one.

The VW Hodie is a marvelous piece, not performed nearly often enough in my opinion.

I've done the Pinkham 3 times, and I've hated it more each instance. YMMD, but to me it is not written characteristically for brass or for voices. It's really easy to sound awful, and nigh on impossible to sound good. Case in point is the trumpet lick at the beginning of one of the Movements, maybe the 2nd (?). Very exposed, cold, and even when played 100% correctly it just doesn't sound pleasing - it's not attractive music. Scholarly, maybe, but not tuneful or moving, or memorable except in a negative sense. Sorry. Just my opinion.

My high school symphonic choir is performing this piece, and it is to be accompanied by 9 brass players. I will be playing the tuba instead of singing (thank God- the bass part is so high, it hurts my throat). Haven't got the music yet.

Wow, el, what a great situation for you - now I'm seriously jealous.

I agree the Poulenc is a flawed piece, but parts of it are magical - especially if the soprano is first-rate.

Nevsky is a blast to play, as is the VW Sea Symphony. Never did the Walton. Another tremendous opus, involving orchestra, bass soloist and a choir of bass/baritones, is Shostakovich 13. Neat tuba solo too - you get to be Stalin.

I'll have the pleasure of doing Carmina Burana in the spring, which is always a fun time. Totus floreo.