Bach - Passacaglia and Fugue in C Minor

[Mark]

I just found an excerpt for this in Volume 1 of the Sear and Waldeck Tuba Excerpts book.

Would I be correct in assuming that this is one of the Stokowski arrangements?

[ahowle]

I doubt it.

I'm not sure what's in that book, but Respighi did a pretty famous arrangement of that piece. It opens with low brass, so this could possibly be the one you have.

In my experience, Stokowski rarely gives much other than background colors to the brass in his orchestration.

[Alex C]

Yes, this is the Stokowski arrangement excerpt.

I have the original Sear-Waldeck book and it is listed in the table of contents as Stokowski's arrangement. I have played the Stokowski arrangement and this excerpt is included in the part.

To differ with the previous poster, I feel that Stokowski transcribed well for the brass (not spectacularly). He used them for color or weight but not much as solo instruments, right in line with the "Philadelphia sound" he created.

[Mark]

Yes, this is the Stokowski arrangement excerpt.

I have the original Sear-Waldeck book and it is listed in the table of contents as Stokowski's arrangement.

Thanks. It's interesting; my book does not have a table of contents.

[Alex C]

My information comes from the original Sear-Waldeck book which is not printed but is largely handwritten and copied by the ozalid process, pre-photocopier. Most tubaists were probably not aware of the existance of this book. It's much more complete than the Cor published series because the copyright issues were loosely enforced when it was published.

The original book does have a table of contents; it also had the Sear Etudes included in the back which the printed books do not have.

The table of contents in this book does refer to this excerpt as the Stokowski arrangement.

DMWTP