beating a dead horse

[bisontuba]

Joe-
Ok, I bought mine because I always wanted one and I like it-I think.. (I'll let you know Monday?!)....
Mark

[gregsundt]

Another lesser-known quote from the late Robert LeBlanc, referring to the widespread use/recording/performing with period instruments in the latter part of the 20th century:

"What is with those people? Don't they know those things are obsolete for a reason?"

Not saying it applies to a cimbasso. Just saying.

[MikeW]

So that's a picture of a tuba, and not a purpose-built cimbasso.

Er....

How can you tell for sure ?

EDIT:
Actually, I bumped into this site http://americusbrassband.org/instruments/ which has a picture of an Eb bass horn that looks kind of similar. Presumably that would be a bass sax-horn?

[bisontuba]

So that's a picture of a tuba, and not a purpose-built cimbasso.

Er....

How can you tell for sure ?

In Verdi's treatise, "I Hate il Tuba", a lithograph of the very same tintype appeared.

Mark

[sloan]

I hate Verdi.

[David Richoux]

Somehow, this seems to fit in the discussion.

[sloan]

Sousa would have hated the Sousaphone. Discuss.

[MartyNeilan]

Another lesser-known quote from the late Robert LeBlanc, referring to the widespread use/recording/performing with period instruments in the latter part of the 20th century:

"What is with those people? Don't they know those things are obsolete for a reason?"

Not saying it applies to a cimbasso. Just saying.

[Donn]

As can clearly be seen, the "tuba" from this era (around the time that Guiseppe Verdi was writing orchestra parts for something called a "cimbasso"), except for how it is all "wrapped up" is very close to the same overall taper (except, probably, that the valve section bore of this 19th Century "tuba" is probably smaller) as a late-20th/early 21st Century "cimbasso".

It isn't that clear to me. What I see in the picture is a conical instrument. Much narrow in profile than is currently popular, but not cylindrical. The top bow is clearly smaller than the bottom bow, the next one is smaller yet, the valve loops are smaller yet. What I see when I look at pictures of cimbassos, is a cylindrical instrument, behind 3 or 4 feet of bell flare. It would be interesting to hear what this thing sounded like. In this Civil War era period instrument band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-s4zfBj2dIg, the one at the front, conductor's left, looks similar. The slender basses in this ensemble have a kind of dry sound but still sound like tubas to me. All instruments are conical - no trumpets.

[Donn]

I had the idea from somewhere that his notion was more like the typical "bell front" tuba, like half way between straight up and straight forward. But when I searched around for it I could find no supporting documentation. This isn't in one of those "book" things, is it?

[Donn]

Yes, the helicon-hating quote is easy to find, but that goes on to sound like he might be talking about a rain catcher. Evidently he was OK with the rain catcher, and my 45º story is kind of at odds with the helicon-hating, since the helicon is at more of an angle too. Maybe it wasn't Sousa.

By the way - just thank your lucky stars, Sousa didn't take a dislike to the tuba, or we'd all be playing cimbassos.

[pjv]

I use my cimbasso for splitting kidney stones.

But seriously, I don't play in a symphony orchestra and don't play Verdi.
I bought my cimbasso-contrabassvalvetrombone/thingy for the quite obvious contrast in sound. (A euphonium player might own a valved trombone for the same reason.)

[bisontuba]

Hi-
I am sensing an urge for the formation of a new instrument group.

We have ITG--Int'l Trumpet Guild
We have IHS--Int'l Horn Society
We have ITA--Int'l Trombone Assoc.
We have ITEA-- Int'l Tuba Euphonium Assoc.

Could it be the time to form a collective group for the Friends of the Cimbasso? Perhaps the International Cimbasso Kinship--- or 'ICK' for short? I think a lot of folks out there would just love to add to their association memberships a charter membership in 'ick'!

Or maybe not .....Happy First Day of Spring....
Mark

[bisontuba]

Cimbasso United Membership

bloke "who's computer's dictionary - just as with "tubist" - is putting a red squiggly line under the word"

Mark

[circusboy]

Cimbassoist?

Cimbassist?

Cimbanzee?



(I know it's a damn trombone. YOU try finding a picture of a chimp with a cimbasso!)

[iiipopes]

If I ever get a call to play a pit on cimbasso parts, I'm taking a Conn 2J or 3J and a cup mouthpiece. They can deal with it.

[TubaRay]

Could it be the time to form a collective group for the Friends of the Cimbasso? Perhaps the International Cimbasso Kinship--- or 'ICK' for short? I think a lot of folks out there would just love to add to their association memberships a charter membership in 'ick'!

Or, perhaps it should be called the Society International Cimbasso Kinship. S.I.C.K.

[iiipopes]

Wouldn't that second word be "Internationale"?

[TubaRay]

Wouldn't that second word be "Internationale"?

You're probably right, but not an important detail to me.

[k001k47]

chim . . . wha?

DISCLAIMER: THE FOLLOWING VIDEO IS MUSIC SET TO BETTIE PAGE DANCING, SO DONT CLICK ON IT IF THAT OFFENDS YOU.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N63DfmSKBc