Copies of the 2 different CSO Yorks...

[The Tuba Fish]

Is the "better" of the two Yorks the horn that the Yorkbrunner is based on, or the 6/4 Nirschl? I know that the Nirschl is shorter than the Yorkbrunner, but I'm just a bit curious.

[Michael Bush]

I don't know, but just on a bet I would be surprised if either of the modern tubas is a straight up measurement-for-measurement copy of either of Yorks.

[happyroman]

According to Arnold Jacobs: Song and Wind, by Brian Frederiksen, the Hirsbrunner York is a copy of Mr. Jacobs original York (which Brian referred to as York No. 1). This is the tuba that Mr. Jacobs bought directly from his teacher, Philip Donatelli, when he was a student at Curtis. The Nirschl York is a copy of York No. 2. Floyd Cooley played with the CSO during the 1992-93 season, and played York No. 2 at that time. Cooley took measurements of York No. 2 and made arrangements for Walter Nirschl to make copies of it. On Mr. Cooley's website, he describes York No. 2 as the instrument Mr. Jacobs used during the last 18 years of his tenure with the CSO. According to Brian, Mr. Jacobs used both instruments with the CSO, but did not indicate whether one York was perceived as better than the other.

[Michael Bush]

No "copies" that I've played play like the CSO York tuba that is most commonly used.

Oh really ?
Says who ?

(Bloke and others have made it clear on previous occasions that he has played it. So...)

[Roger Lewis]

I can speak for the Hirsbrunner models a bit since I own one. The early Yorkbrunners were copies of the "rehearsal" horn. Sent to Peter Hirsbrunner by Fred Marrich of Custom Music. It was poorly packed and was pretty much destroyed on the way over so Peter had to rebuild if before getting the measurements of the instrument. After Mr. Jacobs retired he was travelling in Europe with the"concert" horn and stopped at Hirsbrunner and they measured that horn and found some differences. The leadpipe was a little smaller as was the main tuning slide. The pistons were 1mm larger and the 5th rotor was 2mm larger. So pre 1995 the horns were copies of the rehearsal horn. 1995 and on were copies of the concert horn. Some in the middle of 1994/1995 like mine have the smaller pistons but the larger 5th valve, smaller leadpipe and main slide.

Just what I've been told.
Roger