Boehme Sextet

[Scott C]

Any one performed the Boehme sextet??

We have an arrangement that is written for tuba/euph, I talked with another tuba player today who said that most of the Tuba parts were an octave too high... They aren't too high, ( in the last movement, you enter on a high Eb..) and in listening to the Center City recording, they sound correct, but maybe someone has performed this and can shed some light on the descrepencies.

the arrangement is German, I believe it's Sommerhalden, reift ed, in the original key of Ebm

BTW, the tubist in CCBQ is fantastic!

sc

[JB]

Any one performed the Boehme sextet??

We have an arrangement that is written for tuba/euph, I talked with another tuba player today who said that most of the Tuba parts were an octave too high... They aren't too high, ( in the last movement, you enter on a high Eb..) and in listening to the Center City recording, they sound correct, but maybe someone has performed this and can shed some light on the descrepencies.

the arrangement is German, I believe it's Sommerhalden, reift ed, in the original key of Ebm

BTW, the tubist in CCBQ is fantastic!

sc

The part you have cited reads correctly as printed; I performed this a year or two ago with the top part played by Charlie Schleuter. The Center City recording should help you prepare -- wish I had it prior to playing the work.

Your friend may be recalling the Robert King publication of this work in which the tuba part appears an octave lower (by comparison) in many places.

[bberlien]

I have performed the Boehme twice: the first down an octave on CC tuba, and last year several times on F in the upper octave. I completely agree with the prior sentiments that the upper octave is preferrable. This piece is best played as "light" as possible, hence the original instrumentation for cornet, small (possibly rotary) trumpets, Alto horn (or althorn (alto trumpet)), small trombone (or bass trumpet), and euph - basically a trumpet quartet book-ended by two conical instruments. A look at the score and the connection between the "solo" cornet and tuba part is obvious.

Last year my quintet tried one rehearsal with alto horn, bass trumpet, and euph on the lower voices. Though comfort levels and intonation prevented any further consideration of using them for an actual performance, the experience was informative.

The best any standard ensemble can shoot for is something comparable to Center City's recording (Craig Knox sounds phenominal on his F). There is also an early Empire Brass recording from 1980 on LP (Digitech Records 105) where Sam Pilafian plays some parts in the upper octave and some parts down - worth a listen if you perfom it on CC tuba.

[Ian1]

Hi,

Yep played it on tour with Fine Arts Brass about a year ago. I think they have a recording on there website. www.fineartsbrass.co.uk

It's a teriffic piece and I agree it should be at the written octave.

[tubabike]

Hey Scott-

I've never performed this piece but I have read the RK version, (many years ago). I've always thought that the 'urban legend' with this work is that it was written for either French Tuba or Tenor Tuba... my guess would be tenor tuba since he was German, (though he spent much of his life in Russia). He had quite an extensive career as a trumpet/ coronet player and it is possible he wrote this piece with a particularly talented colleague in mind...

My advice is if you can pull it off on C or F tuba without any changes or lack of tact then more power to you! Otherwise use your best judgment in making the piece work for you.

(I saw Jonathon Rees play this with the Horizon Brass in Chicago many years ago. Jon played it on Eb all as written and he sounded like a million bucks!)

Cheers!

[Brassworks 4]

Played it a few times and it has to be one of the most beautiful brass pieces ever written!!

I can't answer about the tuba part however - I played euph on part 5. And can't tell you what horn our tuba was playing.

I get chills just thinking about the 3rd movement....

Another good recording (besides Center City) is the Asbury Quintet with Herseth.

[Brassworks 4]

This just in from our tuba guy on the Böhme:

"I think I played my CC tuba on that piece, didn't I? I think that was during the period when I didn't have an F. If I used the big CC, I would have used a shallow mouthpiece.

The part's not high, so the CC would be the appropriate instrument unless you wanted to make less noise (which is something I never strive for)."

So - that answers that from this side.

If anyone ever has the op to play that sextet - jump at the chance. Its incredible!

[tmmcas1]

Try and find the Empire Brass recording from the 70's with Sam Pilafian, Rolf Smedvig, Tim Morrison, Charlie Lewis and I believe Norman Bolter (I could be wrong on that). He used his Bell model CC tuba. Don't use the Robert King Edition for this piece! He wrote the whole piece up a step so it lay great on baritone. Booooo....Cornet players never want to have to play up a step! There is a great new printing of the original edition of it from a European publisher (which escapes my name at the moment) that is worth the asking price.

Cheers,
Tom McCaslin

[tmmcas1]

The publisher is Marc Reift. Check out www.reift.ch

Tom