Alternate Dvorak "New World" tuba part

[kingrob76]

I once played a handwritten part (about 20 years ago) that was supposedly written for the NBC Symphony under Toscanini (meaning the part was written for either Bill Bell, Herbert Jenkel, or Abe Torchinsky). It was QUITE different than this part - at times it was with the basses, sometimes it was a 5th horn part, sometimes a 4th trombone part. VERY fun part. I'm really kicking myself for not copying it at the time.

[Eric B]

I wished I would have had this when we played it in September. It is one of my favorite works. I might have convinced our conductor to use it. I will print it for my files. Is there a Montreal recording with this tuba part utilized? Please post a link to it if so.

[eupher61]

let the key-choice debate commence.

I vote for G tuba.

[Geotuba]

I vote for G tuba.

F#

[bttmbow]

I had an opportunity to play this symphony when I was in high school.

I had just gotten in the Chicago Youth Symphony (known then as the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Greater Chicago), so I had stopped playing with the "other" youth orchestra in town (I can't believe its name has escaped me!), but they were performing the "New World", and asked me to do the dress reh. and concert, as they had no tuba player.

Of course I said yes, and showed up at the rehearsal, and shared the Trombone III & Tuba part with the third trombonist.

I played WAY more than fourteen notes, in fact, I played the entire bass trombone part through the rehearsal and concert. It was lots of fun. (Little did I realize that a shared part like that tells you when it's one instrument or the other!) The "bass" trombonist, CONDUCTOR(?) obviously didn't notice either.

So, years later, when I heard a professional tubist speak of the challenge of playing that chorale after sitting without playing, I realized what I had done!

C "Happy to share my youthful ignorance w/you" JH

[windshieldbug]

Encore music has posted a complete tuba part written by Robert Ryker formerly of the Montreal Sym. Freak out your conductor and trombone colleagues!

But less time for a beer run!

[Tom Haggerty]

The link is dead now. Anybody have a current link to the part?

[CC]

I've uploaded a copy here.

I'll try to just leave it there for anyone else that finds this post. Not sure how long that will last but I'll give it a try.

[rodgeman]

Thanks for reposting it. It looks very interesting.I currently do not have the range for it but now can try to build toward it.

[Bandsman79]

I've uploaded a copy here.

I'll try to just leave it there for anyone else that finds this post. Not sure how long that will last but I'll give it a try.

I don't know if I'm being thick, but I cannot get that link to work! I've created an account and tried with both Firefox and IE. Still no joy.

HELP!!!

[Bandsman79]

Ignore my last. I got it by saving to "My Files" and then downloading it. Still couldn't get it through the main website though.

It looks interesting...

[Tuba Guy]

I have been playing this edition in my college's orchestra. Initially, the conductor said to try it and he'd let me know if he liked it (which with our past history means play it until he notices me). However, he emailed me last week saying that he liked it. This is a great part, and a terrific improvement over the 14 note original.

[olaness]

Some little while ago I had a lengthy discussion about this with a noted local musicologist. He argued that the part is not uncommon among Dvorak's orchestral writing - several other (at the time) specialist instruments have got similarly ridiculous parts in his repertoire. That is, piccolo, Eb clarinet and so forth. However, it is notable that these parts are written so that their ordinary doubling partners easily can play both his ordinary part and the specialist part without missing anything out - in effect what many other composers would write on a single part, asking the player to change instruments. This is common practise among your woodwind colleagues.

Combine this nugget of information with another little nugget of information that is in Dvorak's time, it was common for the tuba in the orchestra to be played by one of the double bass players as and when required, and perhaps a picture begins to emerge. It is hardly impossible that Dvorak meant this as a doubling part - play the bass for mvts 1, 3 and 4 and the tuba for mvt 2. That said, I am aware that the bass part does divide into a number of parts right at the end of mvt 2 that might make it necessary for the relevant player to get quickly over to his bass before the end of the movement, depending on the size of the orchestra, but again, this is hardly an impossibility.

O

[Steve Marcus]

A conductor agreed to let me play the Ryker part this summer and make his decision after the first orchestra rehearsal.

His somewhat facetious comment: "I didn't hear anything that I hated." Somewhat of a backhanded, yet sufficient approval. However, the rest of the brass section loved it!

[Steve Marcus]

I have noted a few errors in the edition, here are the corrections for this edition of the part:

MVT1:
m21 - the triplet figure should be a 32nd rest and 3 32nd notes
the 1st ending before 6 needs to start one measure earlier
mm 436&437 - cut - these are copy errors

MVT4:
m58 - cut - another copy error

Also:

In MVT4, replace the final G in m62, m96, m100, and m106 with a rest.

[Bandsman79]

I might redo this part in Sibelius as I find it quite difficult to read and correct any errors while I'm at it.

Anyone interested?

[CC]

I would be interested in a corrected version!

[Bandsman79]

I would be interested in a corrected version!

OK, that's at least 3 of us interested so I'll get onto it.

I should get it out fairly quickly and I'll post it on here for everyone!

[rodgeman]

Thanks, Looking forward to it.

[imperialbari]

If a new version is made, please space the music correctly.

Klaus