TubeNet

Did any of the great players from the past use a recording bell tuba in the orchestra or the pit for theater or ballet during performances? I have seen pictures of Mr. Phillips with a smaller recording bell tuba and it got me wondering.

It seems that half the time I see pictures of Bill Bell it is with a recording-bell tuba or sousaphone. I have to assume there was at least a decent bit of work he did using one.

I would suppose Joe Tarto did.

Fred Pfaff too.

KiltieTuba wrote:Who won their orchestra gig on an Eb sousaphone? Was it Bell or Jacobs?

Are you thinking of Jacobs' audition for Curtis?

It's been reported here that Bell's favorite horn was an Eb sousaphone that was a present from his mother.

"Chief" Kuhn played a sousaphone on the old "horn" recordings because the nature of double bass is diffuse, and did not record well. I don't know if that transferred over to any performances or not.

It would seem to me that being in the pit would be the antithesis of that: wanting the sound to come out of the pit to disperse to the stage and audience.

Google 'king "pit tuba"'


Combination forward bell and periscope.

Orchestra, though? Sure, everyone used to play forward bell tubas, but so far I haven't seen anything in this thread to make me think they brought them to the orchestra.

Thank you Donn. Your observation speaks to the heart of the question. I was wondering if the recording bells were used in actual performances indoors be it from the pit or the stage.

I don't know if it means anything, but in the original Fantasia, there is the silhouette of a SOUSAPHONE in the orchestra!