Performance Practice: Brahms 2. F/C?

[Ben]

This has been a productive discussion, thank you all. I lugged both my 184 and 155 to rehearsal last night. I asked a few bassists over the course of the last few rehearsals what they thought in addition to this board. The consensus amongst them was that the 184 sounded more Wagnerian and the 155 more Brahmsian. I agree 100% with that assessment. I am ultimately choosing the Alex F for a couple of reasons: blend is better, almost magical at times; 2nd movement is delicate and the F fits this so well. I'll post a recording after the concert.

Johnathan/Klaus: I am glad you asked and answered that question. I learned much!

[bort]

Good to have options, eh Ben? I'll have to see if I can make it out to this concert... mid-February, right?

[Ben]

2/13 near union square. Wine & cheese afterwards.

[Ben]

I just got the recording from this concert...

Here's the link

http://www.mediafire.com/?ewcp8xrdy38lo" target="_blank

I think the Alex F worked well. It is definitely not over powering, but I like it much. Let me know if this changes your opinion.

[smyoung]

.... so what horn would you play the excerpts on in an audition setting with no orchestra or trombone section to "blend" with and one opportunity to wow the judges? Do we essentially have to think of a definitive "Brahms tuba sound" and choose our instrument based on whichever gives us the sound we have in our head, hoping the audition panel agrees with our interpretation?

Note: I've only played the excerpts, never with an orchestra or trombone section. I have listened to several different recordings, but so has everyone else...

[JHardisk]

In a recent audition over on the east coast, Brahms 2 excerpts were asked late in the 1st round. I played them on my 6/4 CC. Yes, I advanced.

My comments post-audition were:
Brahms: very clean and musical, good pitch.


It doesn't matter what ya play em on... Just sound your best!

[jeopardymaster]

Resurrected this post because I just rehearsed it (along with Prelude to Act 1 of Meistersinger) tonight - on my Neptune. Notwithstanding a lot of strong feelings expressed above as to the optimum instrument(s) for both pieces, it was, I think, in good taste and musical. And a lot of fun. The last time I had played the Brahms with orchestra, what was available was an ancient Meinl Weston BBb school horn, and the memories of that performance sure made things more fun this time. But more significant to me, almost 40 years of experience made it tons easier to find my place in the ensemble. There is a lot of music in that part, note-for-note. Much more appreciated tonight than back in 1974.

[Ben]

Sounds fun. I had another go at it recently and performed it on C just to compare. I found it worked just fine too.

[kingrob76]

Most bases have been covered here, but since I have two cents laying around doing nothing...

Bring both horns. Play through some of it with the trombones, and ask someone you trust to listen in the hall. Play both during rehearsal and ask the Music Director what they think (if they even notice). I'm playing it in a couple months and I'll play it on CC, probably my 1291, sitting next to a bass trombone player who is an Edwards artist and can take the paint off the back wall of the hall without even breaking a sweat. I'll plug in a small mouthpiece, sit back and let the horn do the work. Fun stuff for sure no matter how you decide to approach it.

[Wilf.tuba]

A couple of years ago I did Brahms 2 on my Lidl type 3 valve Cimbasso/contrabass Trombone. I used the C slide instead of the Bb and I thought it worked great. The scale at the end sounded amazing though maybe needed just a little more weight at the start of the 2nd movement.

Just something different to try out my new at the time toy and the conductor went along with it. Would definitely do it again.