Alex CC with Video (Bach Cello suite No.5 Sarabande)

[MackBrass]

This is the latest progress on the Alex CC I have been working on decided to play the Bach Sarabande from cello suite No 5. This piece caught my attention from the Cincinnati Rep list and its a bear of a piece. Good luck to all who have taken the challenge on learning this one as its not as easy as it appears. Alex is cleaned up a bit and all leaks are now gone, now its time to redo the leadpipe and add a few braces so it doesn't fall apart.

Bach Cello Suite No. 5 Sarabande
https://youtu.be/S1KC5V4bj4Y" target="_blank" target="_blank

Snedecore #4
https://youtu.be/03guqi1Tf1w" target="_blank

Disclaimer, any bad notes you may hear come from the acoustics of the room as they are not me nor the horn. These are most likely a figment of your imagination.

[Heavy_Metal]

Well, it definitely sounds like an Alex! Nice work, and nice playing.

[Tom Coffey]

Very musical playing on a tough piece!

[Ace]

Great playing, Tom. I like your attacks and finishes on the notes. Good intonation. Thanks for posting. Just one criticism: Where were the clams? I mean, all the rest of us play clams in the Sarabande. Why can't you? (Just kidding.)

Ace the envious

[MackBrass]

Great playing, Tom. I like your attacks and finishes on the notes. Good intonation. Thanks for posting. Just one criticism: Where were the clams? I mean, all the rest of us play clams in the Sarabande. Why can't you? (Just kidding.)

Ace the envious

Lol, there are a few if you listen carefully. Although i posted the Serabande i feel as though i could study it more and make more adjustments to the phrasing and breath marks. After looking at it for a while I have probably made about a 100 changes since i first looked at it and there are still areas i am not happy with. This is without a doubt one of the most challenging pieces i have played that was written really for the tuba, bach just didn't know about the tuba just yet, ggg.


What was most confusing with this when i started to study it were other versions where dynamics and phrase marking were already written. One interesting note about music written after this period was composers started to write in their dynamics and phrase marks because performers really bastardized the music. During the bach era, these markings were not written by the composer as the intention was to allow the performer to interpret it themselves.

One of the first versions i found was from Doug Yao that he used for his BSO audition back in the 80's. I found it to be a good starting point as he marked it out with the brass player in mind. Listening to his actual recording and looking at his version i still had some issues with his approach and this is where i decided to rewrite it without any markings so i would be able to interpret it myself. This is one piece that if you didn't know when it was written you would not associate it with Bach as it is very un-bach like. For now I will put it away and look at it again in the future with with fresh ears.

[MackBrass]

Jeff Reynolds

Very nice as his version shows another aspect of playing it and that's the tempo. The tempo ranges greatly from performer to performer and the trick at the slower tempo is keeping it moving. I do like his version as he really brings the musical side out. I wonder if when asked for at an audition, are the repeats asked or do they play it straight through without repeats?

[Tuba782]

It's a great sound but I hear lots of "blossoms" or "banana notes"

Swells on the beginnings of notes. It becomes a little distracting. I think there's a place for it, but not on every note and not so much with Bach

[MackBrass]

It's a great sound but I hear lots of "blossoms" or "banana notes"

Swells on the beginnings of notes. It becomes a little distracting. I think there's a place for it, but not on every note and not so much with Bach

Thanks for the critique, how would you play it? I must say that the swells and banana notes were intended but i am open to suggestions.

Whats your opinion on the other piece?

I see this is your very first post and you just joined 2 hours ago, welcome to the board. Since there are only 2 other youtube videos with tuba playing this would you be so kind to post one of yourself playing it? Love to hear another version.

[timothy42b]

I recorded it tonight, and immediately erased it out of embarrassment.

That is a hard piece to make sound good - but IMO one of the few Cello Suite pieces that should be allowed in public.

I'll work on it a bit. On straight tenor, very hard to get the falset notes clean on this one, given the jumps. Not that hard on my trigger horn, but carpal tunnel has bit me a bit on that one.

Nice job, Tom.

[williamp]

Thanks for posting this, Tom. In the past, whenever I've read through this movement, I've always played it up an octave (most recently on my Willson EEb). Hearing you play it on your Alex (which I love the sound -- you sound great!) made me think about the tremendous challenges the piece presents in the lower octave. I brought it back out and tried it on my B&S GR55 BBb. It still obviously needs work to be more secure rhythmically and intonation-wise, but it's a great workout. Thank you for sharing and making me rethink the piece.
Here's my attempt with the BBb:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jziIrThSZ0M" target="_blank

[MackBrass]

Thanks for posting this, Tom. In the past, whenever I've read through this movement, I've always played it up an octave (most recently on my Willson EEb). Hearing you play it on your Alex (which I love the sound -- you sound great!) made me think about the tremendous challenges the piece presents in the lower octave. I brought it back out and tried it on my B&S GR55 BBb. It still obviously needs work to be more secure rhythmically and intonation-wise, but it's a great workout. Thank you for sharing and making me rethink the piece.
Here's my attempt with the BBb:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jziIrThSZ0M" target="_blank" target="_blank

Its a tough one and on BBb the pedal CCC's are the toughest notes. Even in CC tuba the pedal C is very difficult when you think of the release and try to keep it in the context of the other notes makes them very difficult. I have another recording where i did it on my MRP, tempo is a little faster but not where i like it.

Good job.

Tom