Brass Quintet Equipment

[Bob Kolada]

I prefer to bass trombone most of the time in brass quintet, but when I do play tuba I use my small front action King Eb. I would love to try a cimbasso and a big euphonium as well.
Personally, I find contrabass tubas too difficult to play in a quintet (especially considering I HAVE a small, easy to play bass tuba) and they just sound too different from the other horns.

Then again, I've never really been know as a typical tuba player in any way.

[ken k]

I think it all depends on the concept the groups wants and also the repertoire, as people have already mentioned. When playing some older renaissance dance type lit, a lighter sound is appropriate since it more will match the other instruments. When playing some more "pop"ier stuff like a transcribed band piece, march , rag or dixieland, a bigger horn fits the bill nicely because that is the more accustomed tone qualtiy of a tuba for that type of piece.

Also some pieces that are standard quintet rep stuff like the Arnold and others seem to work better with a larger horn, while some work better with a smaller horn. Obviously if you only use one horn then something in the middle would be what you would want to go with, which is where the Eb tuba lies IMHO.

k

[Adam C.]

Several of the fast passages in the Malcomb Arnold - Quintet are just plain awkward (extremely messy fingerings) on F tuba. I would never walk out on stage and play the Malcomb Arnold with an F tuba.

That being said, playing a CC tuba for the majority of our literature would definitely change the timbre (and accuracy) of our quintet. One of the people who chooses most of our rep. seems to be a big American Brass Quintet commissions fan (bass trombone-oriented 5th parts - a la John Rojak.) I really can't imagine being able to rapid-fire a bunch of brittle repeated high B naturals out out any of my CC instruments. No matter how fast I stop the sound, the tuba is still vibrating. and when stuff like that (when played on a big CC tuba) dovetails from the trombone player (so he can play the next motif), "mid-range" trombone sound doesn't dovetail very well with high-range CC tuba tessitura.

I agree with all of this. Though I have used a big CC on the Malcolm Arnold, I greatly prefer to use a large F in quintet. While using a CC I feel that I'm too large and fluffy, that the sound is not an equally blended voice but a heavy enveloping blanket. I feel more an equal contributor with an F. Also, I miss fewer notes on the F I hate it, but it's just a fact for me.

[Chadtuba]

I prefer an Eb and more specifically my 983. Now I fully admit that it is the only tuba I own, but I have access to BBb's but would not use them. Having never owned or even really played a CC I can't weigh in on that argument (or F either).

[Wyvern]

I am currently using my PT-15 F for quintet which works fine, but I still think an Eb like my previous M-W 2040/5 is the ideal for quintet playing with secure high register and not too broad middle/low register. Also easier to move around in the lower register.

[Mcordon1]

Meridian Arts Ensemble- Conn 2J (maybe 3J, I can't remember)

Raymond Stewart plays on a 3J, and I believe he has had the same horn since his undergrad.
He also brings his PT-606p with him for some gigs too.

[Steve Marcus]

Gene played a live performance of John Stevens' Seasons: A Symphony for Brass Quintet on one of the CSO Yorks a few years ago.

[Scott Sutherland]

I've had a lot of success with my Yamaha 822F. I think it's the best quintet horn out there for versatility, a good foundation of sound, and with my custom main tuning slide trigger, it's easy to play in tune.