And where is an old Alex 7v F?
Posted: Fri Nov 13, 2009 7:37 pm
Seeing the earlier post regarding an old Alex BBb, I got wondering where another old Alex might be.
During the Reiner years with the CSO Jake used an Alex F for a time. It is pictured in Song and wind prior to being converted to 7 valves by Carl Geyer. Jake wanted to have something where the CC fingerings he was most comfortable with would be available while using a small instrument as opposed to the York as Reiner wanted for a time. A new lead pipe with American size receiver was added along with "normal" CC 3 valve for the left hand making it a double F/CC tuba. (Holding R4 giving a CC with 3v in the left.)
About 66 or 67 I had just purchased a nice, used 5v Alex F and took it down to a lesson. The CSO was going to be doing Pictures with Jake to do Bydlo. (I can't recall for sure whether it was to be recorded but think it was to be with concert then recording with Ozawa.) Anyway, Jake liked it and asked if I would do a swap for the 7v Alex which had a better low end where my 5v had a really nice top end. He convinced me the extra flexibility of having a double tuba would suit me.
It was not long after that work in Chicago became VERY scarce and I had to raise some bucks to pay stupid things like rent and food so I asked jake if I could borrow $150 which he did with the 7v Alex being held as collateral. The economic situation did not improve so I had to go down state and do other things to survive. Jake sold it before I had the $150 to "redeem" the loan. I'm not sure if it was Don Heeren or Ron Bishop who bought it, though seem to recall it was one of them, and totally lost track of where it went.
Anybody know of it??????
During the Reiner years with the CSO Jake used an Alex F for a time. It is pictured in Song and wind prior to being converted to 7 valves by Carl Geyer. Jake wanted to have something where the CC fingerings he was most comfortable with would be available while using a small instrument as opposed to the York as Reiner wanted for a time. A new lead pipe with American size receiver was added along with "normal" CC 3 valve for the left hand making it a double F/CC tuba. (Holding R4 giving a CC with 3v in the left.)
About 66 or 67 I had just purchased a nice, used 5v Alex F and took it down to a lesson. The CSO was going to be doing Pictures with Jake to do Bydlo. (I can't recall for sure whether it was to be recorded but think it was to be with concert then recording with Ozawa.) Anyway, Jake liked it and asked if I would do a swap for the 7v Alex which had a better low end where my 5v had a really nice top end. He convinced me the extra flexibility of having a double tuba would suit me.
It was not long after that work in Chicago became VERY scarce and I had to raise some bucks to pay stupid things like rent and food so I asked jake if I could borrow $150 which he did with the 7v Alex being held as collateral. The economic situation did not improve so I had to go down state and do other things to survive. Jake sold it before I had the $150 to "redeem" the loan. I'm not sure if it was Don Heeren or Ron Bishop who bought it, though seem to recall it was one of them, and totally lost track of where it went.
Anybody know of it??????
