BAT in Tucson

[MaryAnn]

I got to see/hear a BAT in person...first time. Yeah, I know, you guys see/hear/play them all the time, but I don't.

There was a performance of Sky Island Brass this weekend that I went to. It was in a church, and wow! Four trumpets, four horns, four trombones, two tubas. One of the tubas looked like a 4/4 and the other was a Gronitz PCK. Which I think is a 6/4 or at least would guess that by looking at it. Chuck Kerrigan was playing it if I got the right person matched with the right tuba.

First piece was a Bach organ piece, phooey can't remember the name....ya'll know it; something-or-other in D minor. Prelude and Fugue? Starts AGA....GFEDC#D. Anyhoo at the end there is this monstrous low D pedal, and you know what? The tubas just about rattled the rafters! After hearing that piece with that brass group, it is going be, uh, lacking next time I hear it performed on organ.

I caught him in person going out to the parking lot and got to say, "That sure is a Big-A$$ Tuba!" I think he was a little taken aback at some pint-sized "mature" female saying that to him, but it was fun on my end. Always wanted to say that to someone, heh.

MA

[J.c. Sherman]

Sounds like you're describing Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. One could argue whether it's his work or an arrangement, but that's for another list

J.c.S.

[TubaRay]

Sounds like you're describing Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. One could argue whether it's his work or an arrangement, but that's for another list
J.c.S.

I would argue that it was an arrangement of Bach's work. Anyway, it must have been great to hear it performed in that manner. My favorite experience of that piece was hearing the Canadian Brass perform it. Rick remembers it, I'm sure.

[pwhitaker]

The German Brass have a cut of that out on You Tube. The contra D on the Fafner is absolutely gorgeous, as is all of the playing by that ensemble.

[J.c. Sherman]

That Contra D is also played on the COntrabass Trombone - @#$^ Awesome!!!

J.c.S.

[MaryAnn]

Sounds like you're describing Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. One could argue whether it's his work or an arrangement, but that's for another list

J.c.S.

Yep, that's the one! I "almost" had the name right.
MA

[TubaRay]

Sounds like you're describing Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. One could argue whether it's his work or an arrangement, but that's for another list

J.c.S.

Yep, that's the one! I "almost" had the name right.
MA

Horseshoes? Hand grenades?

[MaryAnn]

I'll choose hand grenades, given that pedal D.

MA

[jonesbrass]

I'll choose hand grenades, given that pedal D.

MA

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Anyhoo at the end there is this monstrous low D pedal, and you know what? The tubas just about rattled the rafters! A

is not "Pedal D," except on bass trombones, F tubas, and Eb tubas (or euphoniums, I suppose). It is a step or two above the open pedal on a BAT, making it just a "really low note" played with lots of fingers down.

It is, on the other hand, tasty.

[SplatterTone]

Alright you BRASS players, enough of this stinkin' Toccata and Fugue. Let an organist give you tuba stars something to transcribe: Prelude, Fugue, and Chaconne in C major by Dietrich Buxtehude. Note the pedal ... uhhhh ... TUBA solo at the beginning. There are also some crowd pleasing trumpet sections. I rather like the one by E. Power Biggs on the Luneberg organ, but that is on worn out vinyl. So here's this one with Harold Vogel.
http://t-recs.net/mpegs/tubenet/buxt_pre_fug_cha.wma

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Alright you BRASS players, enough of this stinkin' Toccata and Fugue. Let an organist give you tuba stars something to transcribe: Prelude, Fugue, and Chaconne in C major by Dietrich Buxtehude.

Neat piece...could be nicely transcribed for quintet. Any idea why Mr. Vogel did this in Eb Major on this recording?

[SplatterTone]

in Eb Major on this recording?

I get closer to D. But I'm pretty sure it is the Doppler effect of when the music comes from Europe over to the USA. Kind of like the red shift. But I guess this would be more like a violet shift.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I get closer to D. But I'm pretty sure it is the Doppler effect of when the music comes from Europe over to the USA. Kind of like the red shift. But I guess this would be more like a violet shift.

Yeah, it is closer to D major. What does it being in recorded in Europe have to do with the key center? Is this an old recording that has been "sped up" a bit through the remastering process? Are organs that sharp in Europe? It weirds me out a bit watching the music and listening to that recording.

But, the fact remains, this would be a neat quintet piece. Nice find!

[SplatterTone]

Are organs that sharp in Europe?

Oh, I'm sure "artistes" will float various supposed reasons for it. But the down and dirty here is that the builder figured out that, by making all the pipes shorter, he would make more profit. Note, too, the unsteady wind supply. Old world charm? I think not. It's just an unsteady wind supply. Rip off, plain and simple.

And that Luneberg recording by Biggs was on the Johanneskirche organ. Magnificent (at least around 1970 give or take). It's too bad it's not available on CD.
http://www.magazine.uc.edu/0607/organbuilder2.htm

[eupher61]

the "Hellboy" recording must be thermonuclear warfare, then....

on an organ, that IS a true pedal D, Todd, just not in the definition we use 'round here.

[MaryAnn]

Anyhoo at the end there is this monstrous low D pedal, and you know what? The tubas just about rattled the rafters! A

is not "Pedal D," except on bass trombones, F tubas, and Eb tubas (or euphoniums, I suppose). It is a step or two above the open pedal on a BAT, making it just a "really low note" played with lots of fingers down.

It is, on the other hand, tasty.

It IS a pedal on the ORGAN, since we have descended into splitting hairs.


MA

[J.c. Sherman]

The purpose of communication it to relay ideas accurately. To really split hairs, no one even questioned which note was being referred to, so it was an absolutely clear descritpion, clearly communicated.

Therefore, it's right.

J.c.S.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

The purpose of communication it to relay ideas accurately. To really split hairs, no one even questioned which note was being referred to, so it was an absolutely clear descritpion, clearly communicated.

Therefore, it's right.

J.c.S.

J.C. is absolutely correct...I knew exactly what note you meant, and apologies extended to MA for any and all hair-splitting (a precarious situation for me, especially with the decreasing coverage in that area).

Todd S. "who will save the "pedal/not a pedal" diatribe for a different post in which the note being referred to is not clear" Malicoate