German Brass Band music

[paulver]

A little help here............

I have a question regarding how to interpret the tuba music for a German Band. The arrangements all come from Germany, and a lot of the tuba parts are written in the upper register of a BBb tuba, with no optional note an octave down. It's not a big problem to play it, but the sound is right in the range of the baritone/euphonium. There are already two baritone players in the band, and it seems rather odd for me to play it up that high, as I would just be a third baritone. Is it customary for the tuba player to take it down an octave from written, to get the beefy tuba sound and give the group a bottom, or should I just play what's written???

[hubert]

Yes, must be played one octave down. An odd, but usual way of writing in some European countries. Probably "invented" to make reading easier for amateurs without all those extra lines down the staff
Hubert

[paulver]

I assumed that was what I was supposed to do, so I took it down an octave from the onset, but I just wasn't really sure. It really gets confusing after a while, especially when your sightreading it with nine other players who've played the music for 10 or 15 years, and showed no mercy on the level of difficulty or tempos! The upper notes become the bottom notes, and the bottom notes become the upper notes. Then, you run out of valves as the notes go down out of range!!!!!!!! At that point you have to take those notes up an octave!!!!!!

So........ I've started to rewrite some of the more confusing ones using Finale.

AND........ let's talk about the German style D.S.'s and the D. C's.

It was a tough rehearsal!!!

[Donn]

Then, you run out of valves as the notes go down out of range!

So, for better or worse, the intention must indeed have been to play high as written?

[roughrider]

My $.02

It depends on what instruments are scored. If it is a full brass band (Ernst Mosch type) with trumpets, flugels, tenor horn, baritone horn, trombones, clarinets, tubas (plural), and schlagzeug, the high tuba part (maybe that's what you have?) is played on F tuba, and the bottom part (octave lower) is played on B tuba. There are smaller sized ensembles that may only feature one tuba, typically F tuba (with a few exceptions - Berthold Schick and Allgau 6 features a MW 2011RA BBb). Many of these parts are printed in the upper octave. In some bands (small alpine groups, tirol style, etc.), a baritone may play that part. Feel free to take it down an octave. Don't ask why. It's just done that way sometimes.

I play F tuba in a traditional German Brass Band. My section mate plays the bottom part on a B&S 3/4 CC (the Germans might shudder, but at least it's rotary). If I were to play the bottom part, I'd bring my kaiser. Both parts are printed in the appropriate octaves. With all the other smaller groups I play with, I play F tuba, and traditionally speaking, it is appropriate in size and sound. I play in whichever octave sounds appropriate, although constant low playing (below low Bb/Ab) does not seem necessary for small groups, although I do travel down low when appropriate without fear. If I constantly play down low, it doesn't necessarily (to my ears) match the best with accordion duo/trio stuff. The size of the sound is also more appropriate (again, to my ears). Make your parts sound good to your ears.

Outside of German tradition, and whatever the ensemble actually expects, there are no hard/fast rules. Whatever your situation, play what sounds appropriate for the group size, the arrangement, and what best fits the music. Play it down unless it doesn't sound right. Just make it sound good.

+1

[Chris Mayer]

Hi,

during 35 years of tuba playing in German ensembles (symphonic wind bands, polka band playing from original handwritten Ernst Mosch scores) I have never come across tuba scores which have not been written or indicated by eg va basso as intended to be played, in bass clef in C as well in treble clef in Es or B.

Could you please provide a picture of the score in question ?

@Bort: a tuba is a tuba is a tuba, I also used my B&S 3/4 Cc with a PT 50 mouthpiece some years in that German Polka band (End of the 1990-ies, Original Böhmische Musikanten, set-up by Ernst Mosch Trombonist Elmar Wolf and consisting of players from the Kaiserslautern area) and nobody was complaining. It is the sound concept in your head, which is at the end transferred through your resonator. Funny thing is, that after some beers, these typical eight note lines in tuba naturally just came out as intended in style in this kind of music, namely slightly deferred and not exactly on beat. Every music has its drugs....

Christoph

[bort]

@Bort: a tuba is a tuba is a tuba...

You mean Doc? No responses from me in this post before this...

[Chris Mayer]

sorry Bort, yes, I have meant Doc

[Z-Tuba Dude]

I have played some authentic arrangements in a brass quintet, from a German "march book" of polkas & waltzes. The books are designed for additional instruments as well, but all of the lines were covered with 5 parts.

The range of the tuba part skewed high, but I played it on a King bell front tuba for the rehearsal, both at pitch and 8vb. Nether seemed quite right.

I brought a rotary F to the next rehearsal and *poof*, suddenly all made sense! It seems that THOSE parts were written with an F tuba in mind. The voice leading and blend just worked.

Anyway, that was my experience...