Poulenc's "The Story of Babar"

Steve Marcus · Post by **Steve Marcus** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:25 am

Peter Dobrin of The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote about the Philadelphia Orchestra's 10/11/08 performance of Poulenc's The Story of Babar:

The piece is also a slight concerto for orchestra, with bold, highly polished (if brief) roles for tuba player Carol Jantsch, trombonist Matthew Vaughn, clarinetist Samuel Caviezel, contrabassonist Holly Blake and, with car horns resonant, principal percussionist Christopher Deviney.

Will there be a video of this performance online or on DVD, temporarily or otherwise?

Chuck Jackson · Post by **Chuck Jackson** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 1:25 pm

This piece has a GREAT tuba part. It definitely should be on an audition. The range is extreme and the lick starting on the Bb (top of staff) is tricky, especially when you have no harmonic support prior to it to get the note in your ear. Every tuba player should be Thankful that Mssr. Poulenc wrote it.

Chuck"terrified the first time I played it"Jackson

Chuck Jackson · Post by **Chuck Jackson** » Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:28 pm

Bob1062 wrote:Was this a french C tuba thing (Poulenc!)?

Yes. Given the tessitura, Pedal EE to e above the staff, it makes sense. I have only played it on a CC, but it would be easier on F. It is a shame, vis-vis-vis Wade's remarks, that it usually only shows up on Kiddy concerts. While not a piece of any real depth, it would be nice to do it on a program of french music. The narration is nice, too.

Wade, your conductor and the last one I played under must have had the same teacher. He proceeded to conduct SUPER FAST in the solo and I played it at half tempo. He stopped, implored me to watch him and started again (mind you, I had played the piece a few times so I knew the tempo and he hadn't studied the score) and I did the same thing. He started railing and asking why I wouldn't follow him. I simply told him I thought he was sub-dividing the tempo, but I didn't need him to do that as I was fine in a slow pattern. He stared at the score, turned red as a beet and said "Thanks, you'll save my arm". He later bought me a beer. It should have been a case.

Chuck"who has learned more as a conductor by watching the bad ones than the good ones"Jackson

ZNC Dandy · Post by **ZNC Dandy** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:08 am

Chuck Jackson wrote:Every tuba player should be Thankful that Mssr. Poulenc wrote it.

Chuck"terrified the first time I played it"Jackson

And that Mssr. Francaix orchestrated it.

TubeNet

Poulenc's "The Story of Babar"

Poulenc's "The Story of Babar"

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Re: Poulenc's "The Story of Babar"