Strange transposition

[Yane]

Got handed this part for a 4th of July gig:

https://plus.google.com/photos/11474727 ... 2610269073

I love the fact that "if tuning slide is not long enough will make D crook to order". I take a look at the trombone part and it's in D, which seems to make sense given the tuning directives. (Although there are parts for A trombone (Treble clef in F) as well as Bb.) Here I was finally thinking my Eb tuba would finally come in handy; instead my rusty transposition skills come in handy. Anybody else ever encounter a bass clef part apparently written for a Bb instrument? And as for A. S. Bowman and the piece itself all I can find is that JW Pepper sold the music in 1908.

[pgym]

Bb bass clef is the norm in the "Fanfare" and harmoniemusik traditions of Northwestern France and BeNeLux, and in some Southeast Asian countries.

Several of Richard Strauss's works (Ein Heldenleben and Don Quixote come immediately to mind) were originally scored for basso (bass clef) Bb Wagner Tuba.

[Yane]

I knew somebody here would know the answer. Thanks!

[Yane]

So it was much more difficult to play in sharp keys back then?

[thattubaguy]

High pitch (Eb)/low pitch (D)?

[Yane]

I regret my excessive snark. Still, all those tuning bits strikes me as rather inefficient; which might explain why the practice mostly died out. I might guess that C trumpets and configurable piccolo trumpets are vestiges of those practices. I also wonder if all this is part of why tubas today come in four keys?

[Paul Scott]

I've encountered this transposition when playing Peruvian marches. I have an old Martin catalogue that offered a "D" crook for Eb tubas as an accessory. Interesting post!

[imperialbari]

If the musical complexity doesn't exceed the the shown sample I would just press the 2nd valve.

Klaus

[thattubaguy]

My York has an extra main tuning slide which can be activated to put the horn in D, with good results.

[thattubaguy]

See.

[thattubaguy]

I know, but it can.

[Yane]

Klaus, cool idea, and I agree with your assessment. Sadly, there are some eighth note runs later in the piece that I don't feel confident about with an unaccustomed transposition on the fly with only one rehearsal.