Use of Mute in orchestra

Steve Marcus · Post by **Steve Marcus** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 8:34 pm

Some Richard Strauss and Aaron Copland scores call for tuba mute, among others.

There are numerous brass band pieces that require tuba mute. Some of them go so far as to specify fibre mute.

Tubadork · Post by **Tubadork** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 9:58 pm

Hi,
http://www.tubanews.com/contentid-68.html
it's not so much about the music, but about the equipment. Fun read.
just off the top of my head I can't think of too many pieces. I know the Gould West Point Symphony asks for a mute (I think it asks for a cup mute, but it's been a while since I played it). I had a conductor ask me to use a mute in the Firebird (infernal dance) because the trombones were mute at that point. hmmm...... I'll keep thinking, I know more, but I'm having a brain cramp,

Bill Pritchard

Lee Stofer · Post by **Lee Stofer** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 10:08 pm

Bill,
A CUP MUTE? Maybe, but I've only seen one cup mute for tuba, ever. As I remember from the last time I played the Gould that it does call for a mute, and I stuffed a huge Humes & Berg stonelined into the Conn 25J. I don't think it specified the type of mute requested.

I think it would be cool to have a tuba harmon mute, with the little adjustable thingie in the center.

Bill, hope you are keeping warm and enjoying life this winter in Korea!

Biggs · Post by **Biggs** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 10:59 pm

Ein Heldenleben and Don Quixote (Richard Strauss) both have a few bits marked "mit dampfner"

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:48 pm

Jonathantuba wrote:I wonder if through the experience in this forum such a list of muted works could be drawn up (maybe including film music)?

When I played in an orchestra, we played a piece that required me to be muted, and my best memory of it suggests it was by William Shuman. But that's all that floats out of the mist. I can still visualize, however, the derision on the conductor's face when I brought it. My mute was made by Ron Apperson, and looks like it was made from screen-door parts.

Rick "whose memory fades after 15 years" Denney

winston · Post by **winston** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:06 am

Contramark · Post by **Contramark** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:11 am

Music For Prague also calls for a tuba muted.

Manituba · Post by **Manituba** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 2:28 pm

I used a mute in a concert last week: O Come Emanuel, arr. Don Gillis (CB arrangement).

Tomorrow I'll be using one in Franz Lehar's The Land of Smiles for Salute to Vienna.

Also this year I've used it in Babar by Poulenc.

I probably pull out my mute for about 5 or 6 pieces a year.[/i]

ThomasP · Post by **ThomasP** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:05 pm

Mahler 9
Schoenberg Theme and Variations for band
and other mahler symphonies, but that is the only one that comes to mind without the need for research

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:39 pm

*** edited, left out most important word

I seem to remember on one of the pieces in Gene Pokorny's excerpt CD, he mentions that in Chicago tradition they do NOT play it muted. I have played Mahler before without a mute. How common is it for a conductor to NOT want a mute on a suppossedly muted tuba part?

Tom · Post by **Tom** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:42 pm

MartyNeilan wrote:I seem to remember on one of the pieces in Gene Pokorny's excerpt CD, he mentions that in Chicago tradition they do play it muted.

Although I don't have the CD at home with me, I believe he was talking about Ein Heldenleben and said that the tradition is to not play it muted.

MartyNeilan · Post by **MartyNeilan** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:48 pm

Tom wrote:Although I don't have the CD at home with me, I believe he was talking about Ein Heldenleben and said that the tradition is to not play it muted.

That's what I meant to say. D'OH!
Still wondering, though,
How common is it for a conductor to NOT want a mute on a suppossedly muted tuba part?

Bill Troiano · Post by **Bill Troiano** » Thu Dec 30, 2004 3:56 pm

I got by for years by borrowing mutes from guys I know who had them. Then, at a rehearsal (about 15 yrs. ago) of the Symphony of Long Island, we were playing the Western Suite, by Copland. I think that was the piece. We had a guest conductor for that concert and after a run through, he asked, "Mr. Tuba, can you use a mute where it's marked?" I grabbed my nostrils by closing them with 2 fingers and responded (in a nasal voice), " can I just play like this?" He became furious with me and blasted me in front of the orch. The next day, I bought a H&B mute. I've used it when called for ever since! I used to be a wiser *** than I am now!

Leland · Post by **Leland** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:15 am

We used mutes in a couple or three band/wind ensemble pieces in college. I can't quite remember what they were, but I do remember that for a few years we had no mutes for certain pieces, then added them when we performed those same pieces again.

One of my fellow students happened across a bucket mute that fit perfectly on the school's bell-front 20J. That sucker produced the most velvety tuba sound I've ever personally experienced.

I just read the TubaNews.com article, and I don't quite understand the doggy dish. Mutes are intended to change the sound, not just make it softer (I hope composers understand this; Stravinsky probably did), but I can't see how the doggy dish would really change the sound.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 5:17 pm

Steve Marcus wrote:Some Richard Strauss and Aaron Copland scores call for tuba mute, among others.

There are numerous brass band pieces that require tuba mute. Some of them go so far as to specify fibre mute.

I rememeber that the Suite from The Tenderland called for a mute.

jmh3412 · Post by **jmh3412** » Thu Mar 17, 2005 8:33 pm

Britten Spring Symphony uses mute, supposedly to match the sound of muted trombones - not nescassarily a happy mix..........

I'm sure that there is alos some more stravinski that calls for muted sections also

JCalkin · Post by **JCalkin** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:07 am

Leland wrote:
I just read the TubaNews.com article, and I don't quite understand the doggy dish. Mutes are intended to change the sound, not just make it softer (I hope composers understand this; Stravinsky probably did), but I can't see how the doggy dish would really change the sound.

My teacher here at Iowa wrote that article. He first decided to use the doggy dish for the muted part in Waltz for Mippy (since Mippy is a dog, it made sense) and the metal dog dish works well as a quick-change mute for his lil' Yammy 621 CC. True, the timbre change isn't REAL drastic, but he would never use it in orchestra anyway. John does own real mutes for all his horns.

I mostly enjoy teasing him about it a little

-J

JTJ · Post by **JTJ** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:27 am

Philip Sparke's "Dance Movements" for concert band mutes the tubas and the euphonium in the 3rd movement, which is a brass only movement.

John

DHMTuba · Post by **DHMTuba** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:44 am

Haven't needed a mute in orchestra for a couple of years, then as it so happens I'm doing two pieces this weekend that require a mute:

Antheil - Symphony No. 4
Debussy - Berceuse Heroique

The Webern Passacaglia also uses mute.

I read something years ago about Rex Conner's (spelling?) harmon mute for tuba! Always wondered how one would operate it.

Kevin Miller · Post by **Kevin Miller** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 9:45 am

The band arrangement of Bernstein's "BSO March" has intermittent muted sections with very little time for insertion or removal of the mute. During the concert where the march was played, I actually whacked the other tuba player in the leg during one mute removal. I'm sure the audience members sitting above the tubas got a chuckle out of it. BTW- I play on a TrumCor mute and love it! It's got a nice woody tone with excellent intonation and response. www.trumcor.com

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Use of Mute in orchestra

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