Europe & tubas

[W]

One more thing I forgot to ask about:


I know even in America there's always piston vs. rotary, F vs. CC, or any of that sort.

- I was wondering in general do Europe (not only Germany) perfer rotary vs. piston. I mean would they tend to be more picky FOR rotary rather than piston?

- and also do they play more F than CC, BBb, or EEb?




thanks for your answers and time

[tubiker]

In the UK it tends to be EEb and BBb (Brass Band heritage and all that stuff) - even seriously good players will stick to 4 valved piston-driven upright Besson/Yamaha EEbs - there has usually got to be a very good reason for someone over here playing a rotary valved instrument.

Having said that, I play a Miraphone F and I own a St Pete BBb and a Reynolds 3v Bb

Anyone playing a CC is probably a professional or near professional player

And then on the continent of Europe its all different again - someone else can follow that one up.

Can of worms which crops up on the forum regularly, look back through the archives for discussion.

Andrew Murray

[Rick Denney]

- and also do they play more F than CC, BBb, or EEb?

There once were signficant regional tendencies. In France, the standard instrument was the six-valved C euphonium (aka, the small French C tuba). In Germany, the standard instrument was the rotary F tuba, with a BBb rotary tuba available for the big stuff like Wagner. In Austria is was (and still is) a small rotary F tuba with a non-standard arrangement of its six valves. In the former British Empire, the standard instrument was (and probably still is) the Eb compensating tuba, though longer ago it was the five-valved Barlow F tuba. In America, the standard has been the CC tuba, with the F serving as a specialty instrument.

But the widespread homogenization of orchestral sound that has resulted from recordings has caused these regional tendencies to become blurred. The Eb tuba is still dominant in England, but even 30 and 40 years ago players would have a big tuba available. Bevan included a picture of George Wall playing a BBb Alex in the 70's, and we all know that Fletcher played a 6/4 CC Holton frequently in the orchestra. There are more recent pictures of British players, such as Steven Wick, playing CC tubas.

Mel Culbertson played (plays?) a big CC rotary tuba and a big rotary F tuba in France. German players still use large rotary F's as general-purpose instruments, with large BBb rotary tubas for the big stuff. Carl Kleinsteuber plays CC and F in his Dutch orchestra. I just corresponded with a Portuguese orchestral pro who plays a Yamayork and a B&S-made F tuba, which is pretty similar to the arsenal of the typical American orchestral pro. Japanese practice seems similar to American practice.

Rick "who thinks regional traditions--and characteristic sounds--are all fading" Denney