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World's largest tuba

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 8:57 am
by Hank74
Can anyone clarify to me as to where the world's largest tuba is located? I've heard it's currently at Harvard University in MA. If so, I might head there when I go next weekend to Boston to celebrate the 4th.

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 11:05 am
by The Big Ben
Hank74 wrote:Can anyone clarify to me as to where the world's largest tuba is located? I've heard it's currently at Harvard University in MA. If so, I might head there when I go next weekend to Boston to celebrate the 4th.
The following thread and pictures suggest it is still at Haaah-vaad:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=38084&hilit=BBBb+tu ... 08#p335425" target="_blank"

Look through the entire thread for a lot of information and trivia about these big horns:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=38084&hilit=BBBb+tuba" target="_blank"

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 8:26 am
by pigman
The Tuba that stood over the doorway at Carl Fischer music In direct lie to The Mcsorley pub is in my opinion bigger than the Harvard hor It is taller a nd wider. While all the parts are there except a finger button it needs to be worked on . The Carl fischer people contacted me some years ago to have the instrument restored. apon inspection It would not fit into the doors in my shop . forget the height and weight. The company still has the instrument which the consider priceless. They will not sell it . There was some consineration of sending it to the Met for display but ultamately it was decided to move the instrument into the current ofiice s on Bleeker st in NYC. The move into th ebuilding was done by Bay crane service. and required removing a double window. sooo it wont be available for loan.

ray Noguera

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2010 10:47 am
by J.c. Sherman
The Harvard and Carl Fischer tubas are the same make and model from the same requested batch. However, one of these was recently acquired by the National Museum recently, if memory serves... (or was it Edinburgh?) I think they are the only BBBb instruments. There are several EEEb (actually EEb, depending on your point of view) and FF tubas.

J.c.S.

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 9:43 pm
by pigman
JC I m not so shure about that . The Carl fischer tuba has a much bigger bell and a different wrap. You have now caused me to call the fischer offices and go to take pictures

Ray

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:27 pm
by J.c. Sherman
Le BBBb de Carl Fisher:
12766771_f6e6d0ef94.jpg
Le BBBb de Harvard
l_0de6ba578bb258e8a18f612e29724a7e.jpg
N'est pas?

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 4:16 am
by Mcordon1
goodgigs wrote:VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DErgn_eA8Tw" target="_blank" target="_blank
Finally, something other than ancient photos!

I think I heard an extremely low C(C0?) around 6:05... :D
Very cool. Thanks for the find!

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 1:55 pm
by J.c. Sherman
J.c. Sherman wrote:The Harvard and Carl Fischer tubas are the same make and model from the same requested batch. However, one of these was recently acquired by the National Museum recently, if memory serves... (or was it Edinburgh?) I think they are the only BBBb instruments. There are several EEEb (actually EEb, depending on your point of view) and FF tubas.

J.c.S.
I have a correction... a third BBBb Boosey, aka "The Guilded Monster Bass" was recently purchased by the Horniman museum.

Had to sort that out - it was bothering me :-)

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:11 pm
by Steve Marcus
I have a correction... a third BBBb Boosey, aka "The Guilded Monster Bass" was recently purchased by the Horniman museum.


Isn't that the one that stood on the roof of the Boosey factory/shop for many years and, unlike the Harvard and Carl Fischer (when repaired) BBBb tubas, has "faux" non-functioning valves? In fact, is it even playable as an open bugle?

P.S. Now that the Amati FFF subcontrabass tuba has been "let out of its cage," is there a way that a pair of qualified tubists could be found to play the beast for a stereo videocam for dissemination via YouTube (or TubeNet)?

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 2:51 pm
by TomMxEdit
Hey Bloke,

Wasn't that featured in "Horton Hears a Horn?"

Tom

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Wed Jun 30, 2010 7:03 pm
by bydloman
I performed on this instrument with the Harvard band back around 1989. I understand that Sam Pilafian and several others have done the same. It (literally) requires three people to manage the beast. Naturally, the piece performed was "Asleep in the Deep".

Gary Ofenloch

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 12:13 am
by Art Hovey
Here's another shot of the Harvard tuba, taken at the NERTEC at UMass a few years ago:
Image
The yellow label makes me wonder if Mr. Sherman has his photos mixed up.

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 12:50 am
by tofu
SInce we have the world's largest tuba how about the world's largest tuba player? :D :tuba:

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 10:04 am
by tubamirum
The Harvard tuba is in the Harvard band building.

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 9:15 am
by J.c. Sherman
Art Hovey wrote:Here's another shot of the Harvard tuba, taken at the NERTEC at UMass a few years ago:

The yellow label makes me wonder if Mr. Sherman has his photos mixed up.
Yup - oops, my photos are mislabled again. There's a CF picture in this %^#$ thing somewhere - I promise it's the same horn : )

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 10:26 am
by iiipopes
tofu wrote:SInce we have the world's largest tuba how about the world's largest tuba player? :D :tuba:
Bill Bell, of course!

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:21 pm
by Mcordon1
iiipopes wrote:
tofu wrote:SInce we have the world's largest tuba how about the world's largest tuba player? :D :tuba:
Bill Bell, of course!

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:48 pm
by circusboy
Here's one I just came across . . . .

Image

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 3:17 pm
by Wyvern
I went and saw the B&H BBb at the Horniman Museum in London on Friday.

Interesting that if it was playable, it would have to be operated by a left handed giant :roll:

Re: World's largest tuba

Posted: Tue Jul 13, 2010 1:59 pm
by J.c. Sherman
That's awesome, Neptune!!!

Now... where's the fourth?