six valve french tuba

[J.c. Sherman]

I still want one. I'm opening a home for wayward French Tubas...

Poor, unwanted ones that no one loves....

J.c.

P.S. What ophicleide did you have and where did you play?

[windshieldbug]

I restored an umarked C to working condition that was owned by the Streitwieser Foundation, which is now in Austria, but was then in Pennsylvania. I used it for contemporary ensembles, and also played the Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique a few times with the Delaware Symphony.

[windshieldbug]

Mostly strange... the kind of stuff you mean was written for a tenor tuba. While a French tuba is 6 valve is similar, it is descended from the C ophicleide, with additional valves to make it play lower. It has a very baritone-like sound up high, and a more bass-bone sound lower.

Only, it doesn't come with a handy seven position slide to make intonation adjustments. And it plays a lot more like a tenor bone straining to be a modern bass.

For the tenor tuba parts you mentioned, a proper tenor tuba or euphonium is the way to go.

[UDELBR]

I thoroughly enjoy my Couesnon 6-valve French tuba. Sure, it's got its quirks, but what instrument doesn't? And of course its use is limited, just as a BAT's is (heresy; I know).

Sorta growing weary of the bashing.