Viennese Dehmal Tuba

[Chuck Jackson]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kfxAlWq ... re=related" target="_blank

This is a particularly lovely performance of the Vienna Phil with Carlos Kleiber conducting Brahms 2. While this might be served better in the clips section, I have some questions to those of you out there who may have played the Dehmal Vienna tuba, not its later variants with bigger bells.

1. What is the bore size?
2. How do they play? Pitch, sound, consistency of sound throughout its range, etc.
3. What mouthpieces seemed to work best.

I ask this because the gentleman playing sounds wonderful on this recording, alot more present than I would have thought a horn of this apparent stature might indicate. I encourage anyone who wants to see, and hear, one of these bygone instruments in use to watch. It is a very unique, earthy sound that is rather pleasant.

I know what Mr. Jacobs said about his turn on the instrument, that is well documented. I would like to hear from anyone on this board who has spent some time on this instrument to chime in.

Chuck

[bububassboner]

I know Tony Clements owns one of these horns. I played his and liked it. Low end is difficult but that can be said about a lot of F tubas. I remember it being a great Bydlo horn.

[Alex C]

I can't be sure that this is Dehmal tuba based on what I've seen. I played a Schreiber F, which is a copy of the design used in Vienna, and I found it to be wanting. It was my first F and I sold it after six months.

The pitch was almost manageable. 1-2 & 2-3 valve combinations were always sharp, Fourth space G-Gb-A were very flat; some octaves were stretched and it was easy to play a dimished ninth. I would have worked with that except for the terrible low register.

I read others saying that European F tubas get 'stuffy' but I've never interpeted typical European F tuba response that way. To me, it's complete loss of tonal center once you get below the staff. This particular instrument became very inefficient and uncentered in that range down to pedal F when it became alive again.

For years, my favorite party record was a recording of the Berlin Phil where the tuba (probably an F tuba) has a low Bb whole note SOLO (I think the piece was Don Juan). Here was this fine orchestra and on this quiet solo the noise the tuba made wobbled and hooted for four s-l-o-w beats. It was unbelievable that this was ever acceptable playing for the B.P. but it was on the recording.

These instruments can be mastered. A friend retiring from the Navy Band has played an Alexander F for his whole career (I think), and he don't make no ugly sounds. With that in mind, if you like sound of a Dehmal F, you should buy one and learn to play it.

With the plethora of new tuba designs there are F tubas that play better in tune and have low registers that actually works. This makes life (and performing) easier.

[skeath]

For years, my favorite party record was a recording of the Berlin Phil where the tuba has a low Bb whole note

Dude, you need to get out more!



SK

[Alex C]

For years, my favorite party record was a recording of the Berlin Phil where the tuba has a low Bb whole note

Dude, you need to get out more!



SK