Artunian Trumpet Concerto

[Todd S. Malicoate]

The Beaversdorf, on the other hand, is simply not worth the effort. It is an entry level solo for tuba and a Rachmaninoff concerto for piano.

Sounds like the Lebedev...

[tubashaman2]

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[tubashaman2]

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[tubashaman2]

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[Todd S. Malicoate]

I love the lebedev, the piano part isnt that hard but it does sound Russian and Rachmaninov like

Hard? Not so much.

But I wasn't trying to say it's hard. I was trying to make an analogy to a previous poster who said another piece had an entry level solo for tuba and a Rachmaninoff concerto for piano. The tuba part on the Lebedev is certainly "entry-level" (that's probably why it's so popular among bass trombonists - not much technique in the solo part), and the piano accompaniment is full of big block chords (8-10 notes) and 32nd note arpeggios so common to the Russian piano concerto style.

As someone who has played many of the Hindemith sonatas, I agree with James that (in most of them) the soloist and pianist are on equal footing. In the tuba sonata, however, I would say it's more like a piano piece with tuba accompaniment. Scores of articles have been written about this piece (search old TUBA Journals) and most come from the same question..."Why did Hindemith think the tuba was so limited technically?"

[tubashaman2]

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[Matt G]

"Why did Hindemith think the tuba was so limited technically?"

I remember reading that Hindemith wrote all of the concertos with the ability to play them himself. This might explain the juxtaposition of some relatively easy solos with tough piano parts.

[Todd S. Malicoate]

I remember reading that Hindemith wrote all of the concertos with the ability to play them himself. This might explain the juxtaposition of some relatively easy solos with tough piano parts.

I've seen this postulated several times, but have never been able to find proof in any academic text or letter from Hindemith that supports this idea. It's well known that Hindemith was able to play each instrument at least passably (from the Skelton biography), but it's hard to conclude from that information that it was his intention to be able to perform the solo parts of each sonata. If he could play the "lick" at the end of the second movement with any dexterity, he would certainly have been among the best tuba players of the time. The clarinet and flute sonatas are quite difficult, as is the harp sonata.

Still, it's an interesting idea. But Hindemith himself rejected the term Gebrauchsmusik (literally, "utility music," or music to be played by amateurs) when it was applied to his music. It's unlikely he penned the sonatas to be played by musicians of modest abilities.

[tubashaman2]

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[pierso20]

Becky Slater in Fort Thomas, KY played the Hindemith piano part for a recital that I gave my junior year at Xavier. She was outstanding. If it is a Duo-concerto, maybe we should charge them too.

I have to say that the Hindemith is NOT that "hard" or terrible, providing three things.....

1) The tuba player can count STEADY and doesn't stink it up.....
2) The pianist can count steady.
3) You both know your parts well and how they fit together -

Sounds like the formula for a great performance.......of course, this is probably the formula for any good performance.