Playing solo with BAT

[David Zerkel]

(*sigh...*)
I know, I know, it's blasphemy to not back the big horns. I know Zerkel is gonna come find me, and he's bringing an ***-whuppin' with him.

Ha! Me kick the *** of an United States Gy-rene?! Ha!

I think everyone and their dog knows that I am a fan of playing the big tuba soloistically. Remember, I did so out of neccessity because I didn't play F tuba until I was about 30 years old... so for me, there was only one tuba to play, but still all of those solos! I'm all cool with the idea that many solos sound better on the F or Eb (beacuse they do!), but I wholeheartedly reject the idea any developing player should "save his/herself" from the more demanding solo literature becuase of the equipment they do or do not have. Go for it! And along the way, you'll learn something about finesse on the big horn that the haters probably never will.

Don't get me wrong, Tommy, I love me some F tuba! In fact, my upcoming flurry of recitals is all on F. However, I have written a grant to make another CD and this one will be entirely on the PT-6, playing solos that the typical high-school student/ college freshman will likely study (on their BBb or CC tuba) I probably won't change any minds about the big tuba, but at least when you and I are gumming our tapioca in the Old Soldier's Home, we'll vaguely remember what that inflexible hunk of metal sounded like!

Regarding

I still say you're asking for a lot of work with minimal reward.

It's only hard work if you make it hard work!! Sounds like it's time to visit Obi Wan Fedderlykenobi

Dave "who is not as dug in on this position as some people might think I am" Zerkel

[Z-Tuba Dude]

We probably need to clarify our musical genres.....my impression was that we were dealing with "classical" music situations, based on the context of the original poster's question. Perhaps that was an erroneous assumption! Certainly, there are different expectations in the different styles of music that we play. There are some styles of music, where the "entertainment value" is more emphasized, than it is in "classical" music.

I would like to bring up an aspect of this issue of tuba players being perceived as "serious" musicians, that we have not touched upon.....that is the music that we have available for us to play: 60 years ago, printed tuba literature consisted primarily of theme & variation pieces, and novelty numbers (the Hindemith was just written in 1955). While there is absolutely nothing wrong with those kinds of pieces, I, personally, would feel that my musical experiences were limited, if those were the only kinds of pieces that I had to play.

Over the past fifty years, Harvey Phillips, through his own artistry, and personal commitment, has influenced several generations of composers, either directly, or indirectly, to write new music for the tuba. Not all of that music is great, but some of it is very good.

Here is my question: Do you think that a given composer is likely to put his best effort into writing a new piece of music, if he is not convinced that the performer is "serious" about what he does? I, for one, don't think so. I realize that I am only talking only about perceptions here, but we all know how powerful they can be.

Foot Note: Here is a story that was told to me, about Harvey Phillips, by a student of his. Harvey, known as a guy who is "serious" about the tuba, and tuba playing, was chided by a professional colleague for taking the tuba too seriously, to which he replied "Of course I take the tuba seriously! It is through the tuba that I can pay for my house, and feed my family!" (*this is a paraphrase, as I heard the story more than 25 years ago).

[TubaRay]

Over the past fifty years, Harvey Phillips, through his own artistry, and personal commitment, has influenced several generations of composers, either directly, or indirectly, to write new music for the tuba. Not all of that music is great, but some of it is very good.

Perhaps Harvey might have had a little help with this accomplishment. Don't you think? There's no doubt he deserves some credit for what he has done for our instrument, but I'm sure he would agree that he is not solely responsible for all the new music.

[TubaRay]

Foot Note: Here is a story that was told to me, about Harvey Phillips, by a student of his. Harvey, known as a guy who is "serious" about the tuba, and tuba playing, was chided by a professional colleague for taking the tuba too seriously, to which he replied "Of course I take the tuba seriously! It is through the tuba that I can pay for my house, and feed my family!" (*this is a paraphrase, as I heard the story more than 25 years ago).

This footnote, and others of similar size, are obviously not intended to be read by anyone over 40 yrs. of age.

[windshieldbug]

WHAT?

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Perhaps Harvey might have had a little help with this accomplishment. Don't you think? There's no doubt he deserves some credit for what he has done for our instrument, but I'm sure he would agree that he is not solely responsible for all the new music.

Yes, of course. But I only mentioned Harvey's name, because I believe that he was on the forefront of commissioning compositions, and it would have only served to muddy my point, to list all of those dedicated ("serious" ) tubists that influenced composers.

[chipster55]

Shoot, I wish I could play solos on a BAT. But I have to play 'em on a 3/4 Bb 'cause that's the only horn I have. Granted, I play mostly band & church music, but the solos I've played have gone well so far. Besides, who can tell the difference at an outdoor concert?

[Rick Denney]

I play the instrument that provides the most musical result, of the instruments that I happen to own.

I played Air and Bourree in high-school solo contest on a plastic sousaphone. In some ways, I think I could play it better then than now, but in reality it's just that my musical standards have outstripped my abilities by a larger distance. Does it sound better on an F tuba? Yes. It has more of the clarity that makes Bach Bach. But it sounds better still on violin, the instrument for which it was written originally (at least the Bourree). In comparison to how the composer intended it, the difference between an F tuba and a plastic sousaphone is probably small potatos.

For me, the most musical result also means the instrument that gives me the greatest technical headroom. I measure "musical result" in terms more basic than the pro-trained members of this forum. I first select the instrument that gives me the highest proobability of getting all the notes right, hopefully with enough mental capacity left over to think about the story I want to tell. If the music goes very high, that won't be the Holton!

But I melted into a pool of envious goo when Gene played his solos on the big York at the Army conference previously linked. And I'm very much looking forward to Dave Zerkel's project of playing solos for mortals on the sort of tuba mortals own.

Despite what others can do on given big instruments, I'll still choose the instrument that stands the best chance of producing a musical result minimally marred by technical issues.

Rick "who has played lots of solo licks on the big tuba when in the context of a big-tuba work" Denney

[Mark]

I played Air and Bourree ... Does it sound better on an F tuba? Yes. It has more of the clarity that makes Bach Bach.

I only half agree. The Air part sounds better on a contrabass - deep and dark.

[lgb&dtuba]

I appreciated taking a bow now and then, but when people come up to the stage and compliment you, buy you a beer at break, or dance by with a big smile and a firm thumbs up, I appreciate that a lot more. That kind of person-to-person affirmation is wonderful. They compliment you because they want to, not because they have to. That's a great feeling. I could play like that every night of the week.

Doc

Well said, Doc. Not everyone here plays or is particularly interested in playing in an orchestra. A lot, but not all.

After years of grinding away in community bands, playing the same old community band stuff to the same captive audiences of relatives and friends there to show support I lucked out and joined the German band I'm in now. My initial reaction was, sure, how often can a band like that play?

After that first season 10 years ago where I experienced audiences who actually wanted us there and enjoyed our music, who bought the beer, who brought the kids up for pictures beside the tuba player in the funny lederhosen, and the time we pulled the tour bus into a small town and people on the street actually waved and cheered I was hooked for good.

Do I play tuba as well as an orchestra tuba player? Not hardly. Do I consider myself more of an entertainer than musician? Absolutely. Is it more fun? For me the answer is a resounding yes. I've found that I'd much rather be appreciated by the audience than any other musicians. It takes just as many hours of effort to be a decent entertainer and the rewards are great, so don't feel like you have to be so serious kiddies.

Jim

[TubaRay]

I don't want all these "serious" tubists flooding the "non-serious" job market and screwing up all those opportunities for me to get paid for being silly with a tuba. I need the work.
Go back to being serious, people. Forget I ever said anything.
Doc

Yeah! What he said.