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After playing a church gig yesterday, I received an interesting comment from an elderly lady. She walked up, pointed at my tuba and said "That booming, thundering sound...I expect to see that instrument in heaven. What other instrument or sound should be played in front of God, himself?" I couldn't think of anything to really respond with, so I made a snide comment about how I could understand why God wouldn't want to hear trumpets. Nevertheless, maybe we tuba players have more job security than we believe.

Not trying to start a religious argument, just posting an interesting comment.

Now that's a compliment!!!

to the tuba ninja (a.k.a Martin "solo sound" Hill):

It wasn't me, it was the room and the organ lol. Those 32' pipes frighten the blue hairs. And, who doesn't sound like a demon (or angel, depending on your preference) in a live hall? Honestly, I was just blown away that someone thought of a tuba that way...

You might have responded, "What other instrument or sound would be played by God, himself?"

horto008 wrote:What other instrument or sound should be played in front of God, himself?".

You tubas will have to step aside for a bit because tonight I'm certain that would be a flute.

I just returned from my son's first band concert and it was bittersweet. Amidst a big bunch of 5th graders was an empty chair piled with white roses. Last week after rehearsal one girl ran into the road to retrieve her music which had blown away in the wind and was struck by a car. Instead of attending her concert, her friends and family attended her funeral today.

Rest in peace, little girl. I bet the music there is more beautiful than we can imagine.

The sound that the israelites heard when God arrived is translated in the bible as the sound of a trumpet, but their "trumpet" was actually an instrument called the shofar, a long and fairly low pitched rams horn that sounds more like a tuba than a trumpet. It actually sounds most like a plastic stadium horn, but just you try to get into heaven with one of those!

-Eric

This does remind me of a phenomenon I have observed for many years... elderly persons can often appreciate what we do better than higher pitched instruments. Many "vintage" humans lose a lot of high frequency hearing as they age and thus can hear (and feel) low notes more readily. When I play at church (monthly, at least) I always receive kind words from the retired segment of the congregation. If it is a particularly hip arrangement, the younger folks respond in kind. I also find that older church members appreciate hymn tunes that have fallen out of common usage - hymns that they learned as youngsters. It never fails that "When I Can Read My Title Clear" or "Brethren, We Have Met To Worship" bring many moist eyes to see me after the service.

It won't be heaven if I can't play my tuba.

Carroll wrote:This does remind me of a phenomenon I have observed for many years... elderly persons can often appreciate what we do better than higher pitched instruments. Many "vintage" humans lose a lot of high frequency hearing as they age and thus can hear (and feel) low notes more readily. When I play at church (monthly, at least) I always receive kind words from the retired segment of the congregation. If it is a particularly hip arrangement, the younger folks respond in kind. I also find that older church members appreciate hymn tunes that have fallen out of common usage - hymns that they learned as youngsters. It never fails that "When I Can Read My Tilte Clear" or "Brethren, We Have Met To Worship" bring many moist eyes to see me after the service.

It won't be heaven if I can't play my tuba.

Ever hear of double-bassist Jeff Bradetich and his "Music for All to Hear" enterprise? Quite simply, it's the high frequency hearing that's first lost with age or damage.

Carroll wrote:It won't be heaven if I can't play my tuba.

Ditto!!!!

horto008 wrote:... What other instrument or sound should be played in front of God, himself?" ...

This reminds me of an old favorite almost-quote about the organ. Maybe someone can provide the actual quote and attribution, but someone once said something very much like: "The organ is the ideal instrument for worship; for in its sounding we are reminded of God's power, and in its ceasing we are reminded of His mercy."
________________________
Joe Baker, who hopes his life is more pleasing to God than his tuba-playing.