Encore Suggestions

[highsierra]

I'm playing the VW Tuba Concerto with the orchestra this season and am looking for suggestions for a short encore piece. It could be for orchestra and tuba or quintet featuring tuba...or tuba alone..Suggestions?

Thanks,

[Tubaman2365]

IIRC, there is an arrangement of the 4th Mvt. Of the Effie suite by Wilder w/ quintet accomp., maybe band also, not sure about orch. accomp. It would make a nice light encore piece IMO.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I'm sorry I don't have a good recommendation for an encore piece for tuba and orchestra, as it's hard enough to find a good piece period without restricting it to "short."

But, for curiosity's sake, I'd like to ask a question. When does a soloist with an orchestra play an "encore" piece? I've quite literally never seen that. Add "especially" to the previous sentence when you're talking about changing the instrumentation (presumably in the middle of the concert) to a quintet or (even more odd) a solo tuba piece?

Seems like a mess to me. Why would you want to do this? Isn't there a large-scale "feature" piece programmed after the VW? If so, how can you have an unannounced "encore" piece in the middle of the program?

Or, am I mistaken and the VW is the "feature" piece of the concert at the very end of the concert? Because that would be even MORE bizarre.

[highsierra]

It is a request from the conductor....

[Todd S. Malicoate]

It is a request from the conductor....

Wow. Strange.

Well, good luck in your search. I'll reemphasize that I think a change to quintet accompaniment would be really odd and cumbersome logistically, unless the two pieces were both already in the program and the audience were prepared ahead of time for some "chair shuffling."

Just had a thought...is there an arrangement of Rachmaninoff's Vocalise for soloist and orchestra?

[eupher61]

Check out Cimarron's website. I think--can't say for sure, and I can't check right now-- he has some of Oystein's arrangements.

[Trumgottist]

My preference when it comes to encores is to go slow and beautiful. That will round off the concert nicely, while the other common choice (something quick and fun) will make the audience want more.

Or, am I mistaken and the VW is the "feature" piece of the concert at the very end of the concert? Because that would be even MORE bizarre.

Why would that be bizarre?

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Why would that be bizarre?

Because most orchestra concerts go:

Short first piece (overture)
Contrasting piece or featured soloist
Big piece (symphony)

Have you attended many orchestra concerts that ended with the soloist (the exception, of course, being a concert that specially featured a soloist or group)? I never have, hence the reason I would find such programming bizarre.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

The most unusual programming I've ever experienced was a program which featured a long symphony and two concerti (same soloist)

- concerto

- first two movements of symphony

- intermission

- last two movements of symphony

- concerto

=======================

It worked.

And I'm 100% sure the soloist did not play the tuba.

Because that would have been bizarre.

[sloan]

But, for curiosity's sake, I'd like to ask a question. When does a soloist with an orchestra play an "encore" piece? I've quite literally never seen that.

I have seen countless pianists and violinists perform short, unaccompanied encores.

I've even seen a tubist or two do it - but only at tuba-centric occasions.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I have seen countless pianists and violinists perform short, unaccompanied encores.

I've even seen a tubist or two do it - but only at tuba-centric occasions.

I must be going to the wrong concerts. I only see the guest soloist play their piece, take the polite applause and perhaps an additional curtain call bow, and then...intermission.

Todd "countless? really?" S. Malicoate

[Trumgottist]

Short first piece (overture)
Contrasting piece or featured soloist
Big piece (symphony)

Such rigidity seems more bizarre to me, but I've mostly attended jazz and rock concerts lately. And choral and chamber music concerts. And brass band. I guess it's some sort of symphony orchestra culture thing that I simply don't understand. (Why should there be a "big piece" at every concert, and why couldn't a concerto be a concert's main piece?)

(Or maybe it's also a language problem causing me to misunderstand you. Maybe the word "bizarre" doesn't have the same connotations in American English that I, being Swedish, read into it? Either way, we're getting off topic, so I'll leave it there.)

[sloan]

Todd "countless? really?" S. Malicoate

Yes, "countless". At least, I can't count them. My flaw, I'm sure. I've been going to concerts for 60 years, and neglected to keep score. I didn't anticipate that you might call for an accounting.

But, let's see - I'll estimate that I've seen a violin or piano soloist offer up a bagatelle to an appreciative audience perhaps 25% of the time at concerts I've seen over the last 2 years.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

Yes, "countless". At least, I can't count them. My flaw, I'm sure. I've been going to concerts for 60 years, and neglected to keep score. I didn't anticipate that you might call for an accounting.

But, let's see - I'll estimate that I've seen a violin or piano soloist offer up a bagatelle to an appreciative audience perhaps 25% of the time at concerts I've seen over the last 2 years.

No flaws, just surprise on my part. I've literally NEVER seen this and I've been going to concerts for almost 30 years.

Like I said, it could simply be that I'm attending the wrong concerts.

It still seems weird to me for a soloist to do this, even if they receive enormous (more than usual) applause. Does anyone else thinks it waxes a bit egotistical to play an unaccompanied encore in such a situation?

(That's not aimed at you, OP. I remember that you said your conductor asked you to prepare something.)

[highsierra]

Thanks everyone...I have decided on a lyrical, beautiful melody for the encore and the conductor is pleased with the choice.....

[graybach]

Just curious...What piece did you decide to play for the encore?
Thanks...

[highsierra]

I will be playing an arrangement of Grabriel's Oboe with strings......

[tbn.al]

Oooh! What a nice choice. Is it Yo Yo Ma's arrangement?

[highsierra]

No, I will be doing my own arrangement......

[Davenport6]

Check out

ENCORE SWEET by Mike Milnarik at
TubaStudio.com