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Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:11 am
by oldbandnerd
I found this on YOUTUBE : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5maa3BIJ3Q" target="_blank

A euphonium solo on the sound track for "Star Wars - Return of the Jedi" .It starts at 2:47 . Is it a euphonium or a small F tuba ?

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:21 am
by The Jackson
I am pretty sure that was Mr. Tommy Johnson playing a tuba in this famous solo. That's one hell of a solo.

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 12:33 am
by TYA
Was that Mr. Johnson playing on his Miraphone?

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 1:42 am
by Kory101
Didn't John Fletcher play the Return of the Jedi soundtrack? I'm pretty sure it was the London Symphony.

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 6:42 am
by Todd S. Malicoate
knuxie wrote:Doesn't even sound close to a euphonium. Whoever commented in that video wouldn't know a euph it it bit 'em.
Hmm. It fooled "oldbandnerd."
oldbandnerd wrote:Is it a euphonium or a small F tuba ?
No. :)

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:57 pm
by Biggs
Jabba no wanga!

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:32 pm
by Kevin Hendrick
Biggs wrote:Jabba no wanga!
That would explain a lot ... :shock: :lol:

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 5:44 pm
by Wyvern
oldbandnerd wrote:Is it a euphonium or a small F tuba ?
Its a Besson 981 Eb

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 4:00 am
by superflatA3
It's more of a compliment for a euphonium's lower register to sound like a tuba and a tuba's upper register to sound like a euphonium than it is for a euphonium's upper register to sound like a tuba and a tuba's lower register sound like a euphonium.

Not to take away from the tuba solo, that recording had tuba written all over it. I can hear the runs being played on a rotary instrument and unless it was being played on a Wagnerian styled euphonium, it's a tuba. :)

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 4:38 am
by djwesp
superflatA3 wrote:I can hear the runs being played on a rotary instrument and unless it was being played on a Wagnerian styled euphonium, it's a tuba. :)
Seek an audiologist. This is NOT being played on a rotory tuba.

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 7:37 am
by oldbandnerd
Hmm. It fooled "oldbandnerd."

I'm just the messenger here .....

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:33 am
by b.williams
:tuba:

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:40 am
by Todd S. Malicoate
oldbandnerd wrote:I'm just the messenger here .....
Then I'm really confused by your original post. Didn't you want to know if it was a euphonium?

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:04 am
by Mike Finn
Todd S. Malicoate wrote: Then I'm really confused by your original post. Didn't you want to know if it was a euphonium?
It seems to me that he was in doubt as to whether it really was a euphonium solo (hence his post title) even though the youtube video he linked has "Euphonium" and "Euphonium Solo" in the title and description. Not being a tuba player himself, and not being aware of how "famous" that particular solo is to some of us, he sought out our collective wisdom. (So yes, he wanted to know if it was euphonium.) In true tubenet fashion, he received his answer and then some, even a rotors vs piston discussion! Now I guess we just need to know if the tuba(s) in question were lacquer or silver plate.
:roll:

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 5:58 pm
by djwesp
Mike Finn wrote:In true tubenet fashion, he received his answer and then some, even a rotors vs piston discussion! Now I guess we just need to know if the tuba(s) in question were lacquer or silver plate.
:roll:
I know what you are trying to do, but will ignore it and continue.

It is a silver piston bass tuba. Superaflat3, is, hopefully, a troll. But I will keep feeding him as long as he/she makes posts like the ones he/she has been.

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 8:25 pm
by Chuck Jackson
bloke wrote:Perhaps this solo is more characteristic of the euphonium...??
ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chuck

P.S.- I bet he would have held his beer better if that Euphonium was silver plated and had piston valves. Talk about a German sound :P

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:03 pm
by rodgeman
oldbandnerd wrote:I found this on YOUTUBE : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5maa3BIJ3Q" target="_blank" target="_blank

A euphonium solo on the sound track for "Star Wars - Return of the Jedi" .It starts at 2:47 . Is it a euphonium or a small F tuba ?

Thanks for posting. It is a nice solo regardless.

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:08 pm
by oldbandnerd
Now that it has been determined this is not a euphonium but a tuba I am curios about the process for the choice of horn.Can anyone here tell me if it was written for a specific type ( F,Eb ... whatever ) or was it the choice of the aritist and for what reason did he choose it ?

Re: Did John Williams really write a euphonium solo ?

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 4:45 am
by Wyvern
oldbandnerd wrote:Now that it has been determined this is not a euphonium but a tuba I am curios about the process for the choice of horn.Can anyone here tell me if it was written for a specific type ( F,Eb ... whatever ) or was it the choice of the aritist and for what reason did he choose it ?
The Star Wars music to accompany the film was played by the London Symphony Orchestra. My understanding is that John Williams worked closely with the musicians of the LSO on producing parts that would work well for that ensemble - noting what they could do and including within the music. Therefore one could say that the Jabba tuba solo was written specifically for the virtuoso John Fletcher to play on his Besson Eb.