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Get to whip out the old Ophicleide this weekend for the Firelands Symphony in Sandusky, Ohio. The program is an all Italian program, so with the exception of a few modern works, it's tons of Opera overtures and arias. So the Ophicleide comes out for "Dance of the Hours" and Lucia Di Lammermoor, and the Cimbasso comes out for Traviatta and others.

La Forza Del Destino is causing a problem for me - it sits in a mysterious era of Verdi's writing where you don't know what the $%@# was used or hoped for when it was premiered, so you just have to use your ear. The modern cimbasso really didn't make me happy - it's cool on the opening of the overture, but not really what I want to hear. So I'm going to "split the difference" and use my YFB-321 F.

If you're in the area, the ophicleide isn't really exposed much, but there are some cool "oom-pahs" in the Cimbasso - come have a listen Saturday!

J.c.S.

I am hesitant to post, but I think I need to bring this small point up. Ponchielli indicated a "Bombardon" in the score to "Dance of the Hours". He was alive in an era where the ophicleide was not in general use. As such, I would think that your Yamaha F would be a historically more accurate instrument to perform this piece on. Just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

Chuck

Actually, other than my part saying "ophicleide", a fact of which I take full advantage...

If you read Meucci, the ophicleide was in fading use, as was the valved ophicleide, both of which were limited in range to B, and both have a much more similar timbre to each other than to the modern tuba. The Pelittone and Bombardon were later contemporaries, though the Pelittone was much closer to our tubas than was the Italian Bombardon.

The scoring is rather "retro" as well, putting the lowest part usually at the unison with or in opposing rhythm to the 3rd trombone.

Luccia is more interesting... The part I have is exactly the same as the 3rd trombone, note for note.

This isn't the Cleveland Orchestra, so I have a little bit more freedom to bring in these sorts of instruments, even as a sub. As for the Bass Bone... our modern bass bones (such as the Picture 1062-FDR) are such a hybrid of different ideas and histories... it's like nothing before 1900, really. And thus... oddly, useful for almost all of the literature. It's an instrument dithered to near universal agreeability

J.c.S. (who notes that 19th century marketing efforts against the ophicleide have held all-too strongly…)

You know... the more I read my past posts over the year, I think I should found an "Ophicleide Anti-defamation League"

J.c.S.

I'm wondering if in that "grey" area of literature where a modern cimbasso doesn't sound quite right, but something like a Piggy is too "heavy," that something like a "3/4" tuba with @ 18mm bore and a 15 inch bell might make it happen. I didn't want to say "student tuba," because of 3-valve intonation issues, but that sort of borderline tone, which might be closer to an original cimbasso or saxhorn.

I was lucky enough last week to play "La Forza" and "Pines of Rome" on the same concert. Both worked great on my cimbasso!