Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Program

[bill]

Happy Wrestling Day

I was interested in watching the Vienna Philharmonic show last night, especially the brass and the difference between them and the recent NYPO show. It was all rotary trumpets and, either because of microphone placement or style (or both) the mellow and subdued use of the entire section. Having said that, who is the tuba player and what horn was he using, if anyone knows?

[oedipoes]

Paul halwax's horn is the Melton Fafner 195-2 (handmade version).
See attachment.

Regards,

Wim

[bort]

Wasn't he using an F at some point in the concert? I seem to remember him playing a smaller tuba with 2 left-hand valves (and a trigger?).

Either way, it was a great concert to watch, especially in high-definition.

[Wyvern]

I watched the concert on TV and although I did not see a clear view of the tuba, it looked too small to be a Fafner. I guess for that kind of music (fairly light) he would play some kind of F? The tuba was certainly not particularly evident, even in the few numbers in which it was included.

[MartyNeilan]

I quit watching them years ago. Fantastic playing, but I can only take so many J. Strauss waltzes at one setting. Perhaps they have changed since then, but I doubt it. Now, an R. Strauss waltz...

[DonShirer]

I too thought he had a small horn in a few numbers, but checking a few websites about the VP, it seems they are fairly picky about their instruments. They own all their violins and loan them to the players. Their clarinets, oboes and french horns are non-standard. The web sites (if they are to be believed) said that the tuba was always a Bb.

[Wyvern]

The web sites (if they are to be believed) said that the tuba was always a Bb.

That is certainly wrong. Hilgers was playing his F a previous year. And in fact the tradition in Vienna was in the past to play the Vienna F tuba (3+3 fingering layout). On a DVD I have of Bernstein conducting Mahler 1, that is what is being played.

[oedipoes]

The horn used in the concert hall part of the concert seemed an F to me.

During the concert, they showed some movies recorded outside.
On one of them, the brass-wind players are standing on a large building, and in that very part I could clearly recognise the Fafner.

WIm

[ubq]

If my memory serves me correctly it's a Rudolf Meinl F. I'm not 100% sure!

Cheers

[WaltTrombone]

5th valve can be played with your thumb or left hand.