Just wanted everyone's opinion on the matter. Plus, I've always wanted to put up a poll that would bring some level of debate.
P.S., some of these may seem a little obscure, but look at what I have to work with!
Aaron "Tubafatness" Hynds
Poll: Standard Tuba Literature
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ThomasP
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Chuck(G)
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windshieldbug
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THE TUBA
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NickJones
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Rick Denney
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Vaughan Williams is my favorite composer. But this was so before I'd ever even heard the tuba concerto, and hearing that work was a disappointment. After the display of raw power RVW demonstrated in, say, the 4th Symphony or in parts of Job, I am left with the wish that he had composed the tuba concerto in 1934 rather than 1954.
Mike Sanders and I were chatting about this at the Army conference last year. He made the excellent point that the best brass music has a heroic quality. I could not agree more. Brass instruments were used as a call to arms--a tone that would stir the blood. The Strauss Horn Concerto comes to mind, as does the opening of Mahler's 5th, or Ravel's Pictures orchestration. We agreed that the RVW concerto--at least most of it--would sound completely appropriate on a bassoon. I've been meaning to get my bassoon-playing niece to run through it for me just to test the theory, but I can hear it in my mind.
The middle movement is lovely, of course.
The Kraft is an amazing display, but I think it's an acquired taste. And I haven't acquired it.
The Hindemith is more within reach of players with lesser technical skills and greater musical powers (which it demands), but it still has an academic appeal more than providing sheer musical excitement.
That leaves the Gregson. The Gregson has the heroic quality, to be sure. I'm thinking, for example, of the high Eb, middle Eb, Bb-low Eb statement in the middle of the second movement. Played well with the appropriate buildup, that part makes my hair stand on end--a response I never get from listening to the other three works on this list.
Rick "genuinely curious why the Gregson gets played so rarely" Denney
Mike Sanders and I were chatting about this at the Army conference last year. He made the excellent point that the best brass music has a heroic quality. I could not agree more. Brass instruments were used as a call to arms--a tone that would stir the blood. The Strauss Horn Concerto comes to mind, as does the opening of Mahler's 5th, or Ravel's Pictures orchestration. We agreed that the RVW concerto--at least most of it--would sound completely appropriate on a bassoon. I've been meaning to get my bassoon-playing niece to run through it for me just to test the theory, but I can hear it in my mind.
The middle movement is lovely, of course.
The Kraft is an amazing display, but I think it's an acquired taste. And I haven't acquired it.
The Hindemith is more within reach of players with lesser technical skills and greater musical powers (which it demands), but it still has an academic appeal more than providing sheer musical excitement.
That leaves the Gregson. The Gregson has the heroic quality, to be sure. I'm thinking, for example, of the high Eb, middle Eb, Bb-low Eb statement in the middle of the second movement. Played well with the appropriate buildup, that part makes my hair stand on end--a response I never get from listening to the other three works on this list.
Rick "genuinely curious why the Gregson gets played so rarely" Denney
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MartyNeilan
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Kraft - I can't really do it justice, and I just don't have the heart for it to try to put in the hoursssss to do it justice. Bobo nailed it, the piece made a statement, and it should have been left at that (IMHO).
Hindemith - does nothing for me; probably would make a great theory project. Every time I have even thought about it pianists have literally run away screaming.
Gregson - nice, but just toooo looooong. The piece ultimately becomes an endurance exercise for both the performer and audience. I like Joe's idea of speeding things up, I will have to try that. I agree that the first movement is "heroic" - before performing that movement I have been known to be quoting from Mad Max - "They say people don't believe in heroes anymore. Well damn them! You and me, Max, we're going to give them back their heroes!"
VW - like it or not its the gold standard. They one they ask at every audition. It's really not that bad of a piece and you can wring style out the first movement cadenza for all its worth. The second movement can make a woman swoon and the third makes children laugh. (OK, so not my woman or my children.) It gets my vote by default.
I would like to add Kansas City Dances (Holsinger) to the list. Like the Kraft it is harddd but without the theatrics and like the Hindy has a killer piano part (well, not quite as bad). Unlike those aforementioned pieces, I think it is actually worth the time to get it worked up. Someday.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Haddad and the Nelhybel
works are reasonably accessible and can be made palatable to most listeners if the proper musicality is injected.
The Ewazen is a nice piece, but I think I actually like it better on bass trombone than tuba, just the nature of it. He also writes some great ensemble stuff.
Hindemith - does nothing for me; probably would make a great theory project. Every time I have even thought about it pianists have literally run away screaming.
Gregson - nice, but just toooo looooong. The piece ultimately becomes an endurance exercise for both the performer and audience. I like Joe's idea of speeding things up, I will have to try that. I agree that the first movement is "heroic" - before performing that movement I have been known to be quoting from Mad Max - "They say people don't believe in heroes anymore. Well damn them! You and me, Max, we're going to give them back their heroes!"
VW - like it or not its the gold standard. They one they ask at every audition. It's really not that bad of a piece and you can wring style out the first movement cadenza for all its worth. The second movement can make a woman swoon and the third makes children laugh. (OK, so not my woman or my children.) It gets my vote by default.
I would like to add Kansas City Dances (Holsinger) to the list. Like the Kraft it is harddd but without the theatrics and like the Hindy has a killer piano part (well, not quite as bad). Unlike those aforementioned pieces, I think it is actually worth the time to get it worked up. Someday.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Haddad and the Nelhybel
works are reasonably accessible and can be made palatable to most listeners if the proper musicality is injected.
The Ewazen is a nice piece, but I think I actually like it better on bass trombone than tuba, just the nature of it. He also writes some great ensemble stuff.
Adjunct Instructor, Trevecca Nazarene University
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LoyalTubist
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Tom
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Agreed.bloke wrote:Gregson...if played...
- with some sort of wind/brass band (piano=)
I believe the "greatness" of the Gregson Tuba Concerto lies more in the way he wrote the wind band/brass band/orchestra accompaniment than in the way he wrote the solo tuba part. It is more of a duet for tuba and band than a tuba solo with band accompaniment.
-Tom "whose favorite music to play on tuba is not tuba music at all" B.
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TubaRay
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LoyalTubist
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