Single Movement

[Steve Marcus]

What single-movement orchestral pieces are the most interesting for the tubist? (These may or may not be the single-movement orchestral pieces that are most interesting for the listener. One would hope that the tubist is also a listener, but that’s a different discussion.)

For the purposes of this list/discussion, “interesting” can be defined by any one or more of the following criteria:

- the role of the tuba within the context of the piece and its instrumentation
- quantity of notes to play
- ratio of measures with notes/measures with rests
- pitch range or tessitura
- any other significant characteristics of the tuba part within the piece as a whole

Please name the pieces and the reasons why they are interesting for the tubist.

[bentuba7]

I think the Strauss tone poems contain some of the most interesting parts for tubists for single movement pieces (let alone the entire repertoire). The parts are both musically and technically very demanding, they contain a wide variety of styles, and are just plain fun to play! Also, just like Gene Pokorny says, the tone poems are some of the most up to date pieces we have to play today, because the tuba has remained relatively unchanged since they were all written.

Other pieces I would throw on the list are:
Shostakovich - Festive Overture
Brahms - Academic Overture
Tchaikovsky - 1812 Overture
Stravinsky - Rite of Spring (obviously in two parts, but still not necessarily mvts)
Mahler - Totenfeier (later became 1st mvt of 2nd symphony)

I'm tempted to list Wagner overtures because they are so commonly played as "single-movement" pieces.

But wait! We can't forget the most enjoyable single movement tuba part ever written! BOLERO!!!!

[KiwiTuba]

Nielsen 4.

A great tuba part, and one of the greatest symphonic statements of the past century.

[KiwiTuba]

Oh, does Das Rheingold count?

[elihellsten]

Finlandia?

[JohnSzkutko]

Nightmare on Bald Mountain

[eupher61]

Oh, does Das Rheingold count?

Hmmm...good point.