Duets Anyone?

ubertuba · Post by **ubertuba** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:21 am

Somebody out there must know some good tuba duet books that advanced high school/college kids would like to play. Could we start a list of favorites here? Maybe as a bonus throw in a description of why you like each book?

Maybe as extra credit - Are duets important to practice? (and why!) I always see trumpet and trombone players playing them and I wonder why more tubists (in my experience at least) don't.

Thanks!

Tubadork · Post by **Tubadork** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:32 am

Both Sear duet books are a good place to start
Bill

Alex Reeder · Post by **Alex Reeder** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:36 am

High five for the Sears as well.

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:45 am

ubertuba wrote:Are duets important to practice? (and why!) I always see trumpet and trombone players playing them and I wonder why more tubists (in my experience at least) don't.

1) Yes. The idea of a bass instrument making music, espescially an intelligent, connected, and discernable line is of primary importance to the music as a whole. Just ask any GOOD string bass player. You need to develop this sense of line, not root.

2) The preponderance of human ears have difficulty making sense of close harmonies in this range. THAT DOES NOT EXCUSE YOU FROM MAKING MUSIC!

Tubadork · Post by **Tubadork** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:48 am

the Jim self duets are AMAZING and are a pain in the butt, but really fun.
Bill

ASTuba · Post by **ASTuba** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 8:51 am

.... especially when trying to play the Jim Self Duets on two BBb instruments.

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 9:20 am

I believe the Sear duets are more or less the classic sets of duets. The Nelhybel duets are not bad, either. Probably my favorite are the 21 Distinctive Duets by Roger Jones. Unfortunately, they are out of print. They are musical, challenging, and playable.

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:04 am

Our senior year in high school, Jim Irby (a pretty darn good tuba player) and I couldn't find a duet so I wrote something simple with a lot of range.
(don't even remember how it went)
It was mostly counterpoint until the end where we harmonized in thirds above middle Bb.
It wrote itself, we had fun, the judges seemed really impressed and we both medaled.

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:06 am

TubaRay wrote:I believe the Sear duets are more or less the classic sets of duets. The Nelhybel duets are not bad, either. Probably my favorite are the 21 Distinctive Duets by Roger Jones. Unfortunately, they are out of print. They are musical, challenging, and playable.

What he said.

Rick "who doesn't have a duet partner except for the day after the Army Conference" Denney

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:25 am

Rick,
It's possible to have a long distance duet partner.
Send a recording of you playing your line to a good ear player or someone who will read the enclosed copy.
When you finally do get together it'll be gangbusters.

Mike Finn · Post by **Mike Finn** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:42 am

Send a recording of you playing your line ...

Or keep the recording, and play along with yourself!
(Just try not to argue about which one of you is out of tune

)
MF

windshieldbug · Post by **windshieldbug** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 10:48 am

Mike Finn wrote:
Send a recording of you playing your line ...
Or keep the recording, and play along with yourself!
(Just try not to argue about which one of you is out of tune )

At least you'll know for certain WHO is out out tune, but you may not know why...

Sean Greene · Post by **Sean Greene** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:02 am

Yes, duets- or any chamber music experience are really important to develop your listening and ensemble skills!

I wrote two volumes of duet books aimed specifically at high school tuba and euphonium players who were looking to play duets in the jazz/rock style. I worked closely with my tuba and composition teachers for my DMA dissertation to develop things that were appropriate for high school players, stylistically accurate and fun to play. They're $15 and available from my website, http://beautideljazz.com. I also have a third volume with trios and quartets aimed at the same audience for $20..

My second favorite duets (after my own

) to play would be:
Scott (sande's brother) MacMorran's Bach for Two Tubas
Rex Conner's Mozart Duets
Rodger Vaughan's Duets
Jim Self's Duets
the Rubank Trombone Duets, Vol II
Trading Bars in Blazhevich
The Abe Torchinsky Opheclide Duets
John Stevens' Suite for Two
The Gatti Trumpet Duets
The 20 Counterparts that go with the Rochut book

Rick Denney · Post by **Rick Denney** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:07 am

windshieldbug wrote:At least you'll know for certain WHO is out out tune, but you may not know why...

You been following me around?

Rick "suddenly uncomfortable" Denney

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 11:19 am

At Hickey's, reengraved edition for easier reading:
Amsden's Celebrated Duets

There are also some good ones in the Rubank Advanced Method.

BVD Press · Post by **BVD Press** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:03 pm

TubaRay wrote:I believe the Sear duets are more or less the classic sets of duets. The Nelhybel duets are not bad, either.

These are currently out of print as well, but I am working on it! ALong with Nelhybel's "Suite for Tuba".

Last January, we released a new set of Nelhybel duets. These were all in manuscript and are quite fun. We also have an etude book for Tuba by Nelhybel that is ideal for an advanced High School player or a Freshman in college. There are samples here:

http://www.cimarronmusic.com

Go to the bottom of the page and search "Nelhybel". You also find a solo Tuba piece called Concerto Grosso and Ludus for three Tubas.

___

I have always enjoyed the Ken Singleton duets. Not too hard, but very musical pieces!!

Steve Marcus · Post by **Steve Marcus** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 12:51 pm

Micky Wrobleski has written some fine tuba duets and has arranged J.S. Bach's Two-Part Inventions for...guess what...

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Fri Dec 01, 2006 4:52 pm

Mike Finn wrote:
Send a recording of you playing your line ...
Or keep the recording, and play along with yourself!
(Just try not to argue about which one of you is out of tune )
MF

Now that's funny!

Sean Greene · Post by **Sean Greene** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:39 am

BVD Press wrote:
These are currently out of print as well, but I am working on it! ALong with Nelhybel's "Suite for Tuba".

http://www.cimarronmusic.com

I have always enjoyed the Ken Singleton duets. Not too hard, but very musical pieces!!

Bravo, Bryan! The Nelhybel Suite is a great piece! It's been unavailable for too long. Also, how could I have forgotten the HUGE volume of great stuff that Maestro Singleton has put out? I especially like his Baroque flute duets for tubas.

sg

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Tue Dec 05, 2006 11:23 am

Hmmm, no one mentioned the "68 Duets for Two Cornets" in Arban (much less the duets in Saint-Jacome). Don't any of you teachers out there think they're an important part of the picture?

Just curious. (I'm a bit partial to bassoon duets played on euph or tuba, such as the 33 Satzenhofer tunes).

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