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The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:22 pm
by AFtuba
After many months of silence here is my new article


http://alessandrofossi.blogspot.com/201 ... bflat.html" target="_blank

Enjoy



Alessandro

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:38 pm
by Michael Bush
Thank you for this. BBb tubas are getting a little more love in the last few years. I appreciate it, not least because, loved or hated, it's always going to be the workhorse in my little world.

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:56 pm
by The Big Ben
AFtuba wrote:After many months of silence here is my new article


http://alessandrofossi.blogspot.com/201 ... bflat.html" target="_blank
Here's a quote from the article that makes a lot of sense:

"My idea of orchestral sound has develop, and from “two colors” (F tuba and C tuba) has become “three colors” (F tuba, C tuba and Bflat), and with it also the use of the different instruments through the repertoire has changed."

The article is worth checking out!

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:49 pm
by bort
Interesting article, thanks for the link!

Here's my question -- are you comparing more CC vs. BBb, or comparing a York style tubas to Kaiser style tubas?

While many orchestral 6/4 York-style tubas are in CC and many 6/4 Kaiser tubas are in BBb, there are plenty of BBb York-style tubas (how many were cut!) and 6/4 Kaiser CC tubas. For example, if you heard an orchestra with an Alexander 164 CC and with a big old York 6/4 BBb, I think it's the style of the tuba that makes a difference FAR more than the key.

What's interesting is when you get into things like a piston-valve Fafner, which is the bones of a Kaiser BBb but with piston valves. I'd love to hear one in action!

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:41 pm
by Lingon
AFtuba wrote:...After many months of silence here is my new article...
Thank you so much for this article. It explains many things I have wondered about over the last years.

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 4:54 pm
by AFtuba
@bort

Yes,the main difference is from york style and Kaiser style, but also if you take a tuba in the same style but one in Bflat and another in C you'll have two different tubas, and is not only a difference in pitch, the Tuono for example is based on an hold bflat german style tuba, but is in C and with the bore of a Fafner, the sound is more closed to a german tradition instruments but still different from a Bflat,

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:19 pm
by AFtuba
Dear Lingon,
For what I know about the Tubenet, this is an open forum where people can write their thoughts, can share informations and thier experiences, the readers can decide to read it and interact in a constructive way on the post or to ignore it, I do it myself, I'm sorry but I really don't understand this free sarcasm

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:39 pm
by Wyvern
Mr.Fossi, Apart from tone are you finding some works work better on BBb?

Can you give some examples on works you now choose to use BBb rather than CC

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 2:55 am
by Timswisstuba
AFtuba wrote:Dear Lingon,
For what I know about the Tubenet, this is an open forum where people can write their thoughts, can share informations and thier experiences, the readers can decide to read it and interact in a constructive way on the post or to ignore it, I do it myself, I'm sorry but I really don't understand this free sarcasm
Alessandro, I don't see any sarcasm here. He's just thanking you for writing the article and explaining In further details.
Thanks for sharing your article!
Tim Sullivan , Lausanne Switzerland .

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:20 am
by Steve Marcus
FWIW, I've added a comment to Alessandro's article directly in his blog.

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:52 am
by AFtuba
Neptune, the Ring is one of the example, as well most of the prokofiev works: Romeo and Julia, 5th symph. Shostakovich 9th, which I'm playing these days, bruckner 7th 2nd and 4 th mvnt on bflat, these are some example

Tim, maybe I was wrong, in this case my apologize for the misunderstanding

Steve, the reason to find or not that kind of tubas available in the states I'm sure is because there isn't yet enough market, and the economic situation it doesn't help stocking that tubas, I'll try to check at least with Meinl Weston if they do anything

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:59 am
by MackBrass
AFtuba wrote:Neptune, the Ring is one of the example, as well most of the prokofiev works: Romeo and Julia, 5th symph. Shostakovich 9th, which I'm playing these days, bruckner 7th 2nd and 4 th mvnt on bflat, these are some example
I have to agree, although I have not played much BBb in over 30 years, I do fart around with some of the excerpts on BBb when time allows. So far, the Prokofiev and Wagner works that I have played lay very well. Biggest problem I have these days are remembering the fingerings, and thats for all tubas. ggg

Tom

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:06 pm
by jeopardymaster
I think you could add Rachmaninoff and Sibelius to that list. Played a Christmas concert a couple weeks back on my BBb and was pleasantly surprised by the word-of-mouth and on hearing the playback. Although I was extremely conscious of what I was playing while I was playing it (especially in the "clam" range through the upper part of the bass clef staff), all I could hear on the recording was lots of presence and fundamental. hat said, it can be a bit unnerving - and there's nowhere to hide when bad things happen.

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:38 pm
by Lingon
AFtuba wrote:Dear Lingon,
For what I know about the Tubenet, this is an open forum where people can write their thoughts, can share informations and thier experiences, the readers can decide to read it and interact in a constructive way on the post or to ignore it, I do it myself, I'm sorry but I really don't understand this free sarcasm
Allesandro,
I do not see how you could interpret my message as a sarcasm?!?!
My daily work is as a bass trombonist in one of our symphony orchestras in Sweden. As trombonist I am interested to learn as much as possible about the instruments that surrounds me for being able to play together as best as possible. Therefore I have thought much about what you wrote about in your article but never got all the answers I was looking for before. Your article was very much what I have searched for so I was very happy reading it. If it is a sarcasm to say thanks when you find something you like, then I must have someone help me with the interpretation of the English language. It seems I have missed something... Maybe the 'friendly' tone in some messages at the tubenet may have someone wonder if the text in particular messages are serious or not?! Well, my intent was to be serious, at least about this matter... :)
Regards and Merry Christmas,

Re: The revenge of the Bflat

Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 4:46 am
by AFtuba
Dear lindgon,
As I wrote in a earlier post, I really apologize for the misunderstanding