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Are EEb tubas(comp or non} finding their way into American orchestras?

I have never seen one, but that's not to say they don't exist.

Rex Martin.

Yes, I know that Rex Martin does and also Tony Zilincik. Tony told me that his fellow musicians thought he was playing a CC when it was actually a BMB Eb.

eupho wrote:Tony told me that his fellow musicians thought he was playing a CC when it was actually a BMB Eb.

I get these same types of comments when using my Willson Eb. I think this is one of the big advantages of the Eb tuba in an orchestra setting. Some Eb tubas have the ability to also sound like a CC tuba. That offers great flexibility and convenience (not having to always lug 2+ horns to a gig). I think F tubas are much better made these days (compared to when I was in college) and I think that's why you see more players taking F as their bass tuba choice. I know that John Olah, former professor of tuba at the University of Miami and former tubist of the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra also used Eb (a Yamaha 321 in this case).

I know this is 'ancient history' but in my student days (1960s) in Philly with Abe Torchinsky, I would often see him with his King Eb. He mentioned that he bought it from Bill Bell. He used it on much of the high stuff such as the Bear Solo in "Petrushka." I don't believe it was necessarily a great instrument by today's measure, but it did the job and certainly, on selected excerpts, it could be managed to work just fine. His principal horn was a CC tuba. (King) It is probably the exception that orchestral players in the US would use an Eb as their main horn as they do in the UK. But I see no reason why not to. It's about what comes out of the bell. There are certain advantages to the Eb over the CC or BBb. But that is another post.

Doesn't tubenet's own, J.c. Sherman play Eb in orchestra?

Many in Canada (North America) use Eb quite frequently:

Mark Tetreault (Toronto) Yamaha 321
Nick Atkinson (National Arts Centre, Ottawa) Besson, I think
Mark Bonang (Hamilton) Yamaha 321
Mike Eastep (Calgary) Besson

scottw wrote:Doesn't tubenet's own, J.c. Sherman play Eb in orchestra?

J.c. sometimes use his Eb with the orchestra, but his main orchestral ax is his MW 2000 (formerly owned by Ron Bishop).

bobn wrote:Many in Canada (North America) use Eb quite frequently:

Mark Tetreault (Toronto) Yamaha 321
Nick Atkinson (National Arts Centre, Ottawa) Besson, I think
Mark Bonang (Hamilton) Yamaha 321
Mike Eastep (Calgary) Besson

You forgot Lance Nagels (Quebec City) Besson 982(I think)

Hm. CSO Rite of Spring https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z8UmrrEx3c around 13:50. Does anyone know who the 2nd tuba is?

PMeuph wrote:

bobn wrote:Many in Canada (North America) use Eb quite frequently:

Mark Tetreault (Toronto) Yamaha 321
Nick Atkinson (National Arts Centre, Ottawa) Besson, I think
Mark Bonang (Hamilton) Yamaha 321
Mike Eastep (Calgary) Besson

You forgot Lance Nagels (Quebec City) Besson 982(I think)

I felt like I was leaving at least one out. Sorry Lance.

Bob

PaulMaybery wrote:IIt is probably the exception that orchestral players in the US would use an Eb as their main horn as they do in the UK...There are certain advantages to the Eb over the CC or BBb.

Tuba parts in some pieces by British composers such as Elgar, Vaughan Williams, etc., seem to lend themselves to Eb tuba, possibly because that's what the British composers were hearing in their heads and seeing on the stage in orchestras (along with BBb horns in brass bands). Elgar's Cockaigne Overture is an example of a piece whose tessitura works well with Eb. It spends a lot of time near, at, or above the top of the staff--and at the end extends down to low Db, which arguably can be played more easily and heard more clearly as a whole step below the pedal note rather than 5-valves on a CC.

Phil Sinder uses an EEb in Lansing Symphony Orchestra and other orchestras he plays with that requires high tuba.

In western Canada there are major orchestra's in Winnipeg, Saskatoon,Regina, Calgary,and Edmonton.In 3 of these orchestras, the gentlemen playing use either a besson 981 or 983 as their main bass tuba.

Steve Marcus wrote:

PaulMaybery wrote:IIt is probably the exception that orchestral players in the US would use an Eb as their main horn as they do in the UK...There are certain advantages to the Eb over the CC or BBb.

Tuba parts in some pieces by British composers such as Elgar, Vaughan Williams, etc., seem to lend themselves to Eb tuba, possibly because that's what the British composers were hearing in their heads and seeing on the stage in orchestras (along with BBb horns in brass bands). Elgar's Cockaigne Overture is an example of a piece whose tessitura works well with Eb. It spends a lot of time near, at, or above the top of the staff--and at the end extends down to low Db, which arguably can be played more easily and heard more clearly as a whole step below the pedal note rather than 5-valves on a CC.

Steve,
Basically all British composers of the early half (¾?) of the 20th Century would have a small piston F in their heads for Orchestra; either compensated or 5 valve (Barlow style). Players were frequently ex-Military Euphonium players with good high registers I believe,which explains your point about the range to some extent...