Puccini: La Boheme...Ideal Horn?

[J.c. Sherman]

Why not use the instrument specified in the score? ie. Bass Trombone

+1

The score in the part disagree with each other. And the translation is not with you might think.

[pierre]

I'm playing Manon Lescaut at the moment. The part say Bass Tuba (Pelittone). I have never seen a Pelittone, but I suppose you could use one Boheme if you had one.

[Mark]

Why not use the instrument specified in the score? ie. Bass Trombone

+1

The score in the part disagree with each other. And the translation is not with you might think.

Until someone presents equal or better credentials, I am relying on Posaune2.

[modelerdc]

The score calls for bass trombone so no kind of tuba is correct. Convienent maybe, but not correct. The argument can be made that what is intended is a contra bass trombone in BB flat, and the period instrument would have had valves. The word cimbassi did not mean a valved contra bass trombone, but mean only brass bass. In Italy of the time that would have meant either a contra valved bass trombone or a brass ophiclide type instrument and would not have meant any kind of tuba. The modern cimbassi style instruments are in fact valved trombones pitched in the bass or contra bass range intended for mostly tuba players to use for contra bass trombone or cimbassi parts. Since the word trombone means big trumpet, a trombone can have slide or valves or both. Today Italian operas are played on slide trombones when we know that originally they were performed on valved trombones. We do not expect the trombone section to suddenly show up with valved trombones. So either a valved cimbassi style contrabass trombone or a slide contra bass trombone would be correct, the most important thing being the resultant sound should be (contrabass) trombone like, and should not sound tuba like.

[Lingon]

...the most important thing being the resultant sound should be (contrabass) trombone like, and should not sound tuba like...

Hmm, Bubbie?!

[Chuck Jackson]

I noticed that there wasn't a choice stating: "Who cares, I'd rather just listen to the opera".

Chuck"I'm just saying"Jackson

[J.c. Sherman]

Modelerdc is exactly correct. But I dont have any credentials. left mine in the pit.

[Bob Kolada]

I noticed that there wasn't a choice stating: "Who cares, I'd rather just listen to the opera".

Opera's boring. Funny big horns aren't.

[Chuck Jackson]

Opera's boring. Funny big horns aren't.

Indeed Bob. Who are we to worry about music when we all know that it is all about the instrument.

[imperialbari]

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