Hindemith Alto Horn Sonata on Tuba

The bulk of the musical talk
Post Reply
FatCat
bugler
bugler
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 7:09 pm

Hindemith Alto Horn Sonata on Tuba

Post by FatCat »

What experience have people had with Hindemith’s Alto Horn Sonata on Tuba.

Can I read the part on IMSLP like playing Eb Tuba in a brass band, or do I need to read it like concert pitch treble clef?
User avatar
imperialbari
6 valves
6 valves
Posts: 7461
Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2004 3:47 am

Re: Hindemith Alto Horn Sonata on Tuba

Post by imperialbari »

If you play the Eb alto horn part like it were a treble clef part for Eb tuba, as known from CW-era US bands and from modern British-style brass bands, the part will sound an octave down from Hindemith’s intentions.

Within my own free-download project I have done this with music involving piano by several composers including Beethoven and Carl Nielsen. In all cases I have only provided parts for alternative WW, brass, or string soloists. Typesetting piano parts is more complex and time consuming, so there I refer to the IMSLP-editions.

I have not studied the Hindemith sonata in depth, but alone the opening bars indicate a harmonic complexity that might cause odd inversions or balances,if the solo part is taken down an octave. An experienced pianist might be able to solve this.

My biggest worry though would be that this IMSLP-edition is illegal outside Canada for copyright reasons.

Klaus
MEWienand
bugler
bugler
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Nov 03, 2014 10:14 am
Location: Palm Springs CA

Re: Hindemith Alto Horn Sonata on Tuba

Post by MEWienand »

Yes like playing Eb bass in brass band. Sound will be lower though but you probably know that.
Good Luck looks fun.
Mark Wienand
Willson 2900s Euphonium
Yamaha 87D Horn
Desert Winds Freedom Band
LGBA Brass
Post Reply