"cimbasso"/"Verdi hated the tuba"/etc.

[J.c. Sherman]

I believe the proper spelling for the instrument is Cimba$$o

Norm

+1

+2

[tbn.al]

I was half joking about the cimbasso being a 1/2 bell-front tuba.

I was trying to defuse the entire discussion as to whether or not modern day cylindrical instruments can truly be called cylindrical. I think that the important thing is to choose the best instrument possible/available for a gig. If ones happy playing a big 6/4 tuba on Verdi, I'd say go for it. Convince the listener.

Last week I heard excerpts from Don Carlos played on one of those jazz-o-phones. It pretty much dominated the entire group and almost never really blended with the other trombones there in the pit.

Bad acoustics? Maybe. Bad choose of instrument? I'll bet money on it. It wasn't so much the volume that was irritating but the sure massive presence.

My 2 cents,

Pat

Jazz-o-phone? As in the sax-shaped double bell trumpet with harmon-mute attachement? I'll bet!

Can I also use a bari sax on the Verdi as long as I convince the audience? Sarrusophone? Accordion?

J.c.S.

Never heard of a Jazz-o-phone till now. Wish I had waited.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7viNN07Ceuc" target="_blank

[Chuck Jackson]

Norm obviously understands the true purpose of this west-coast invention.

And, I daresay, he is one of a handleful of people WORLD-WIDE who has gotten a positive return on his investment.

Chuck"it's all about the shekels"Jackson

[UDELBR]

Jazz-o-phone?

Could he've meant sax-o-tuba?

[UDELBR]

Jazz-o-phone?

Could he've meant sax-o-tuba?

You mean the Oreno-phone?

Or the one Harvey and I built?

All sorta the same concept; not too unlike historical cimbassi (except to those who really, REALLY just wanna play their toooobas on these parts instead, and will accept no other answers ...)

[Donn]

All sorta the same concept; not too unlike historical cimbassi

They're tubas with a couple bows straightened out, aren't they?

[PMeuph]

Norm obviously understands the true purpose of this west-coast invention.

And, I daresay, he is one of a handleful of people WORLD-WIDE who has gotten a positive return on his investment.

Chuck"it's all about the shekels"Jackson

In all seriousness, I wonder if the amount of people worldwide who have gotten a positive return on a cimbasso is about equal to the same amount of people who have gotten a positive return on their tuba?

[Chuck Jackson]

In all seriousness, I wonder if the amount of people worldwide who have gotten a positive return on a cimbasso is about equal to the same amount of people who have gotten a positive return on their tuba?

Yahtzee

Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner in today's "Let's Tell the Truth" contest!!!!

Chuck

[UDELBR]

All sorta the same concept; not too unlike historical cimbassi

They're tubas with a couple bows straightened out, aren't they?

The tubo-phones in the pix surely are. Is that what you meant?

I've been seeing lots of 'damaged facts' passed in this thread as to what constitutes a "cylindrical brass instrument". Traditionally, and today as well, with minor variations, they're (without aid of valves) 2/3 cylindrical, and 1/3 conical. "Conical brass" are the converse: 1/3 cylindrical and 2/3 conical.

So: cimbasso = cylindrical. Tuba = conical. There is a difference.

[Posaune2]

Having played Verdi with several combinations of trombones, tuba, and cimbasso, I will list my (ill)considered preferences here:

First choice: 3 tenor trombones, cimbasso played by bass trombonist (using a modified bass trombone mouthpiece)

Second choice: 3 tenor trombones & Bass Trombone

Third Choice: 3 tenor trombones, cimbasso played by tubist

Fourth Choice: 2 tenors, bass, and cimbasso

Absolute last resort: Any combination that includes tuba.

I await the flames from the TFJ.

Eric Carlson

[UDELBR]

In all seriousness, I wonder if the amount of people worldwide who have gotten a positive return on a cimbasso is about equal to the same amount of people who have gotten a positive return on their tuba?

So, Norm's joshing aside, it's really "all about the Benjamins"? For toooba playas ?

[Rick Denney]

You guys are missing an important fact. The inventor of the mellophone, flugabone, and trombonium used parts from the original cimbasso that Verdi had made. He is known to have insisted that good intonation was possible. Sadly, he died a broken and disappointed man, forced to admit defeat. The epitaph on his tombstone reads, "Well, really, what's a quarter tone among friends?"

Thus, making one from mellophone parts is historically accurate.

Now, prove me wrong.

(It might be sometimes important to remember that people often hear what they see, even stick-wavers who write the checks.)

Rick "glad to see Jay Bertolet back in the fray" Denney

[J.c. Sherman]

I think I need to get the Popcorn ready...

J.c.S.

P.S. - Jazzophone =

De Jazzophon.jpg

[UDELBR]

I've not seen a brass instrument that either

- stays the same diameter as the mouth-opening of the mouthpiece, or
- stays the same diameter as the throat of the mouthpiece

for either 1/3 or 2/3 of the instrument.

Amend that to "...from the beginning of the instrument's bore" (which seems only fair), and I'd say "Bloke don't work on trombones much then, eh?"

[Lingon]

...Accordion?...

I believe that would be an excellent choice.

[Lingon]

...Having played Verdi with several combinations of trombones, tuba, and cimbasso, I will list my (ill)considered preferences here:

First choice: 3 tenor trombones, cimbasso played by bass trombonist (using a modified bass trombone mouthpiece)...

Eric, have you tried to use a slide contra bass trombone in F or maybe in BBb on the 4th part or just cimbasso? Maybe the approach to the instrument is a little bit different when a bonist plays the cimbasso than a tubist?! I also think that the combination 3 tenors and cimbasso would be great. At the Opera here in Stockholm there are two guys alternating on cimbassi, one in bass trombonist and the other tubaist...

[Posaune2]

Eric, have you tried to use a slide contra bass trombone in F or maybe in BBb on the 4th part or just cimbasso?

Have not tried slide contrabass, (or as I prefer to think of it, Bass Trombone in F. In my mind contrabass trombone starts down around CC or BBb.)

We used to have an old Conn double slide bass trombone in either Eb or F, (I think). We sold it to buy the orchestra's cimbasso. The old Conn is probably a valuable collectors item, but it sounded horrible, and was a beast to play. Neither Blair nor Paul wanted anything to do with the beast.

(I hope we don't end up regretting selling the Conn as much as we regret the long ago sale of a couple of big CC tubas that were made for us!)

[Wyvern]

Having played Verdi with several combinations of trombones, tuba, and cimbasso, I will list my (ill)considered preferences here:

First choice: 3 tenor trombones, cimbasso played by bass trombonist (using a modified bass trombone mouthpiece)

Second choice: 3 tenor trombones & Bass Trombone

Third Choice: 3 tenor trombones, cimbasso played by tubist

Fourth Choice: 2 tenors, bass, and cimbasso

Absolute last resort: Any combination that includes tuba.

I await the flames from the TFJ.

Eric Carlson

Eric, Where does use of a travel tuba stand in order of preference? I know Carol Jantsch has one and I guess you have tried in the Philadelphia, if only in rehearsal!

[UDELBR]

I AM (no foolin' !) probably going to to build me one of them things, though...I just want it to be "genuine" and particularly I want it to be "legitimate"...

Do what you feel. The TNFJ obviously has no fixed standards as to authenticity, viability, usability, etc.

[UDELBR]

I wonder if tuba players could even figure out how to blow through one o' them things?

Requires "talent" (whatever that is . . . )