I just saw the Chicago Symphony at Carnegie Hall, yesterday. The program included Liszt's Les Preludes & Shostakovich 5.
Of course, THEY SOUNDED GREAT! (Dale Clevenger is one HELL of a horn player!) It was my first time hearing them live, and Gene as well. I loved his sound! I have decided that I want to sound like him, when I grow up.
I was a little surprised, that from where I was sitting, it looked like he was not playing the York. It looked like a 4/4 piston horn. Anybody know what it might have been?
Last edited by Z-Tuba Dude on Tue Apr 19, 2011 6:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
I got to see the CSO Brass play a show a few years ago for the Midwest conference. There is a very good reason they have the reputation they do. Outstanding, every single one of them.
It seems that Gene is using his BBb tuba a lot more now. Is that peek into the feature that the BBb tuba will be more widely more accepted into American orchestras? Does anyone have a thought on this?
HI-
Speaking of BBb tubas, I know Don Harry (here with Bflo. Phil.) used his amazing rebuilt Holton Richardson model BBb tuba recently on Prokofoev's Romeo & Juliet complete and also on Planets....
The availability of large, high quality BBb tubas, namely the Fafner (and especially the rotary) has really turned some heads.
Gene Pokorny is not the only tubist in major orchestra that plays on a large BBb sometimes. The Fafner has been found to be a nice alternative to the 6/4 CC in some situations, so don't be surprised if your local tuba hero takes to the stage with one. It's still a rather new idea for players in the US, but it's catching on as more and more players encounter Fafners and experience what they can do.
A Fafner shows up rather regularly with the Cleveland Orchestra these days...
Instructor of Tuba & Euphonium, Cleveland State University
Principal Tuba, Firelands Symphony Orchestra
President, Variations in Brass http://www.jcsherman.net
After hearing a Melton 197 in the Berlin Philharmonic back in December, I'd love to hear more tubists on big German rotary tubas (BBb or CC). A nice change of pace from the BAT York sound.
bort wrote:After hearing a Melton 197 in the Berlin Philharmonic back in December, I'd love to hear more tubists on big German rotary tubas (BBb or CC). A nice change of pace from the BAT York sound.
I'm sorry if this is a stupid question but how does the sound of a Big German rotary BBb tuba differ from that of a BAT? I have heard that the American sound is like a foundation and the German sound is like a large column I never knew what that meant. Thank you.
TYA wrote:
I'm sorry if this is a stupid question but how does the sound of a Big German rotary BBb tuba differ from that of a BAT? I have heard that the American sound is like a foundation and the German sound is like a large column I never knew what that meant. Thank you.
Generally speaking, the large German/Czech rotary contrabass Kaisertuba will have a very deep & dark yet more directional/focused sound with lots of "growl" in the low register when playing loud. The American-style contrabass BAT has a deep, mellow, more "pillow-like" fat tuba sound. Both sounds are beautiful when done well
I attended that CSO concert on Sunday at Carnegie; Gene was indeed playing the York. Also, Dan Gingrich was playing principal horn on the program. Needless to say, it was a terrific concert and everyone involved played wonderfully.
A few weeks ago Dale Clevenger's wife Alice passes away losing an eight year battle with cancer. Dale has not been with the orchestra for a few weeks. Dan Gingrich is more than capable of playing the first horn part.
bort wrote:This also makes me wish the new Miraphone 190 I tried was a better horn. Maybe just a dud though. Was fun to hold and pretty to look at though!
I did not take to the 190 I tried in Frankfurt. No match for a Neptune - still by far the best rotary 6/4 CC available
