Look What I Found in my Basement

Bill Troiano · Post by **Bill Troiano** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 9:57 am

I knew I had these someplace. When I began playing tuba in 5th grade, my dad brought home Bill Bell's solo tuba album (green cover with Mr. Bell holding a Martin(?) tuba and Harvey's reflection in the bell). I was floored, especially as a beginning tubist struggling with quarter note, quarter rest. So, I wrote a letter to Mr. Bell. A year later, he sent me this autographed picture and letter. Unfortunately, I never did get to meet him. Glad I found these 2 items, though!!

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:06 am

WOW!

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:52 am

Well.................I know I'm impressed!

rodgeman · Post by **rodgeman** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:06 pm

Very cool.

bisontuba · Post by **bisontuba** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 12:19 pm

Neat!!
Mark

Paul Scott · Post by **Paul Scott** » Wed Jul 04, 2012 3:11 pm

Great classic photo of Mr. Bell! Thanks for sharing the photo and the wonderful inscription.

My high school band director had two vivid memories of Bill Bell after seeing him around Julliard. The first was the size of his hands which he described as being "a big as someone's whole head" and the second was his suit. Apparently Mr. Bell wore a very "shiny" suit!

bloke wrote:I've heard about H.N. White *not* being happy with that original album cover with the Martin tuba.

H.N. White also had another problem with the Martin Band Instrument Company around this time. When Martin became a part of RMC they began using a crown emblem that looked very close to what White (King) was using. The H.N. White company was not amused. I'm not sure how they resolved the issue-perhaps they simply didn't.

hbcrandy · Post by **hbcrandy** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 7:11 pm

I did not know that the original album cover showed Mr. Bell with a Martin tuba. The tuba he has in the photo that you posted is his King. Thank you for sharing the photo and the letter.

daytontuba · Post by **daytontuba** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:09 pm

Back in 1966, was fortunate enough to play as part of the band accompaniment when Bill Bell visited for a Dayton Municipal Band concert. He used his 4 valve Eb Sousaphone for his pieces with the band. I got his autograph on the front cover of my copy of "Two Moods For Tuba" by Donald Swann. He wrote "Best Wishes", signed it Bill Bell, and dated it 8/21/66. A treasure I have kept now for all these years. Not as neat as having an autographed picture, but close!

pigman · Post by **pigman** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:07 pm

The Martin Belonged to Lew Waldeck. He was the Bell student with the newest tuba.

Paul Scott · Post by **Paul Scott** » Thu Jul 05, 2012 10:20 pm

Isn't there some crazy story about picking up the Martin at a warehouse that subsequently caught fire? I know someone out there can fill in the blanks...

roughrider · Post by **roughrider** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:58 am

Apparently William Bell phoned Lew Waldeck and asked him if he could borrow Waldeck's tuba for a cover shoot which was to happen the next day. Bell felt that his own horn was to scratched to use in the shoot. Waldeck told Bell that he would be happy to lend him his brand new Martin tuba which had arrived at the warehouse that same day. Very early the next morning, Waldeck went to pick up his new horn. It was packed in a wooded crate which was stuffed with wood shavings. The tuba was taken from the crate and put in the car. The crate was then taken apart and all the wood and packing was stuffed into a burning barrel and set on fire. It was visible for some distance away. The next day Bell showed up at the photo shoot for the cover of the album "Bill Bell and his Tuba". Bell was very well dressed however the problem was that he was holding a Martin tuba, not a bell. Apparently when word got back to Henderson White he was furious about and ordered the shoot to be done again and this time with the proper make and model of horn

roughrider · Post by **roughrider** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:00 am

roughrider · Post by **roughrider** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:03 am

Apparently William Bell phoned Lew Waldeck and asked him if he could borrow Waldeck's tuba for a cover shoot which was to happen the next day. Bell felt that his own horn was too scratched to use in the shoot. Waldeck told Bell that he would be happy to lend him his brand new Martin tuba which had arrived at the warehouse that same day. Very early the next morning, Waldeck went to pick up his new horn. It was packed in a wooden crate which was stuffed with wood shavings. The tuba was taken from the crate and put in the car. The crate was then taken apart and all the wood and packing was stuffed into a burning barrel and set on fire. It was visible for some distance away. The next day Bell showed up at the photo shoot for the cover of the album "Bill Bell and his Tuba". however the problem was that he was holding a Martin tuba, not a King. Apparently when word got back to Henderson White he was furious about and ordered the shoot to be done again and this time with the proper make and model of horn.

bort · Post by **bort** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:26 am

Even though it's 50 years old, his advice fits right in here on TubeNet -- practice and have a good teacher. The part about being born with some talent made me laugh, people are far too fragile to be told that straight-up these days.

Neat!

Paul Scott · Post by **Paul Scott** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 7:40 am

In the version that I heard, the warehouse burned to the ground as a result of the fire started by burning the crate. Supposedly a representative of Martin called the person expecting the new horn to explain how the horn was lost in the fire, only to find out that they had collected the instrument beforehand.

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 11:54 am

bort wrote:Even though it's 50 years old, his advice fits right in here on TubeNet -- practice and have a good teacher. The part about being born with some talent made me laugh, people are far too fragile to be told that straight-up these days.
Neat!

I believe that most commonly here in the U.S., students are all told that they have talent, and have above average intelligence. Yes, we are all special.

sloan · Post by **sloan** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:14 pm

TubaRay wrote:
I believe that most commonly here in the U.S., students are all told that they have talent, and have above average intelligence. Yes, we are all special.

Everyone has talent and intelligence.

The issue is: how much?

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:16 pm

sloan wrote:
TubaRay wrote:
I believe that most commonly here in the U.S., students are all told that they have talent, and have above average intelligence. Yes, we are all special.
Everyone has talent and intelligence.
The issue is: how much?

Once again, you have stated things exactly right.

roughrider · Post by **roughrider** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:36 pm

Thank you Paul for the correction to my story!. Another legend to be associated with William Bell

bort · Post by **bort** » Fri Jul 06, 2012 1:53 pm

sloan wrote:Everyone has talent and intelligence.

The issue is: how much?

I think it's more the field in which a person is talented, more than the amount of talent (does it make sense to say someone has a little bit of talent?). That is, I think everyone has a talent, but it's not necessarily in music.

Intelligence on the other hand, it's entirely possible to have only a small amount of intelligence.

Ok, enough of this...these are exactly the types of pointless conversations that come up mid-summer while we're all melting.

Back on-topic... Bill, please don't let that sit in your basement any more! Goodness, I can't believe it sat undamaged for so long (no flooding out, accidental throwing away, etc.).

TubeNet

Look What I Found in my Basement

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