Dvorak 9

[glangfur]

It's my understanding that it used to be common practice for tuba players to play a lot more in Dvorak 9. Does anybody have a part marked up with how that was usually done? I have a student in a community orchestra who could use it.

[Ben]

I have performed this both ways, it depended on the conductor's preference. I would hardly call it common practice. You are searching for the Ryker part: there are also various critical errata (do a search for Dvorak + Ryker) embedded in tubenet in addition to omissions & modifications you may want to consider. I will email you the Ryker part, but I strongly encourage your student to initiate a dialog with the conductor/music director first.

[jeopardymaster]

Sitting through the 4th movement with nothing to do is about as frustrating as it gets. Once I bought the conductor a 6 pack and he let me play along with the third trombone. Third trombone got a beer as well. Isn't there a story about Dvorak getting even with some schmuck tuba player by removing his 4th movement part from the final edition?

[mbell]

I've had conductors ask me to play along with the bass trombone.

The story I heard via "Beyond the Score" was that at dress rehearsals for the premier Dvorak didn't like the way the opening and ending parts in the slow movement sounded. So the tuba part was added spur of the moment.

mike

Sitting through the 4th movement with nothing to do is about as frustrating as it gets. Once I bought the conductor a 6 pack and he let me play along with the third trombone. Third trombone got a beer as well. Isn't there a story about Dvorak getting even with some schmuck tuba player by removing his 4th movement part from the final edition?

[kathott]

1. Play the original part.
2. Just sit there and take it like a man/woman.
3. Don't "improve" the piece.
4. Enjoy the performance. It is still fine to bow at the end.

[jeopardymaster]

Now I'm thinking the Dvorak story was actually a Sibelius story. Mbell's story makes sense. It always struck me as odd that the 2nd movement chorale reappears in the 4th sans tuba and this story could explain why. Maybe Dvorak just never got around to fix it.

[J.c. Sherman]

The tuba is completely unnecessary in the entire work; we're included in the slow movement by some quirk. I actually think we're not voiced very well in it, and I'd love to hear it without tuba at all.

Think of it as a free concert you get the best seat for and they pay YOU. Otherwise, to "write" a tuba part or use another ersatz part is to presume you're a better orchestrator or composer than Dvorak.

Almost no one alive can even make that claim in arrogance.

J.c.S. (who gets pissed at "edits" of Holst Planets for Band as well...)

[thattubachick]

The story I heard about the tuba part (which is probably completely fictional but a fun story nonetheless, and I honestly can't remember where I heard it) is this:

When Dvorak was writing the piece he was told that the Orchestra would be taking it, and him, on tour. He originally planned to have no tuba in it at all, but then found out that his wife was having an affair with the tuba player. With no tuba part, going on tour would have meant leaving his wife all alone at home with the tubist to keep her company. To avoid that happening, he wrote us 14 notes as a kind of musical middle finger to the guy... and to keep him close by to keep an eye on him!

I've played the piece a couple times, the first I played bass trombone cues the whole time, and the second I only played the 2nd movement stuff. Great piece either way.

[eupher61]

the only possible reason I will play D 9 is for the money. Frankly, I think it's a lousy piece of music. After the glories of the 8th, he comes up with this crap? Actually, the 2nd movement is the only one I can stand. But JC is right, the tuba is totally unnecessary; I'd rather not be there at all than listen to the 2nd movement, much less play it. I guess I just like listening to see if the EH player loses consciousness.

[Toobist]

The story I heard about the tuba part (which is probably completely fictional but a fun story nonetheless, and I honestly can't remember where I heard it) is this:

When Dvorak was writing the piece he was told that the Orchestra would be taking it, and him, on tour. He originally planned to have no tuba in it at all, but then found out that his wife was having an affair with the tuba player. With no tuba part, going on tour would have meant leaving his wife all alone at home with the tubist to keep her company. To avoid that happening, he wrote us 14 notes as a kind of musical middle finger to the guy... and to keep him close by to keep an eye on him!

I've played the piece a couple times, the first I played bass trombone cues the whole time, and the second I only played the 2nd movement stuff. Great piece either way.

That story has been around a very long time. Could be true.

On the other hand, maybe it's just tuba players perpetuating it in some hopes of bolstering their own sex appeal.

Was Dvorak's wife a flute player?

I've heard that story and told it a few times (with the caveat that I only know it as a rumor).

I also tell it to attractive wives of composers... So far, they've made sure that most composers don't write for me.
Coincidence? I think not...considering the fact that I did NOT seduce the lovely wife of the last composer to write for me. Case and point!

Composers: Start writing more for tuba! It's safer for your marriage.

(My apologies to those of you who are enjoying affairs with composers' wives...)