What is that?

[Wyvern]

I have just been watching on TV download performance by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France at the Proms in London of Messiaen Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum. I am intrigued by what is that instrument beside the tuba. On the video I can see the slide going out horizontal to the bell moves.

PS What sort of tuba is being played - F ?

[cjk]

Probably something like this:

http://www.courtois-paris.com/photo366.html" target="_blank" target="_blank



http://www.courtois-paris.com/panneaubrasssax.htm" target="_blank" target="_blank

[Naptown Tuba]

Never mind. Cjk beat me to it. Way to go!

[imperialbari]

This is the Courtois AC366 Saxhorn basse. It deviates from the traditional Saxhorn basse by having the Blaikley compensating 3+1P valve system and by having the traditional tuning slide in the leadpipe tilted to make tuning adjustments possible on the fly. The action looks like being more direct and less complicated than the tuning triggers known from some more modern euphoniums.

I am not the greatest fan of tuning slides in the leadpipe, but this design looks sufficiently interesting to make me want to give it a test ride. However this is unlikely to happen, as this model is not marketed in my country.

The photo is a cut pilfered from the .pdf-brochure. It shows the tuning device better than other photos I have seen.

The F-tuba might be a Meinl Weston “Titan”.

Klaus Smedegaard Bjerre

[peter birch]

I saw that concert too, and the Messiaen is a phenomenal piece of music.That instrument is described as a "Saxhorn" and is pitched in Bb. I would imagine that it has a sound something between a baritone and a euphonium.

[cjk]

PS What sort of tuba is being played - F ?

I agree with Klaus. It's a 46SLP (Titan) even though it appears to be normal clear lacquer. The Meinl-Weston website says they're always gold lacquered.

A quick google search told me that the tuba player in the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France is Victor Letter.

Using google image search, I also found a picture of him with what appears to be the same tuba, but it's not exactly, well, "PG".


Hope this helps,

--Christian

[pgym]

I am not the greatest fan of tuning slides in the leadpipe, but this design looks sufficiently interesting to make me want to give it a test ride. However this is unlikely to happen, as this model is not marketed in my country.

Wessex Tubas is now selling a clone.

[Highpitch]

I'm with Klaus on this one, leadpipe tuning on a euph (or euph-like) horn sux.

I played one of these and it was hard to steer, if you get my drift.

DDG