I agree to most of what you say, Jim, except for #1. I am sure that
cimbasso was not on Andrew's mind. Cimbasso is not a versatile
instrument, the sound is a specialized one, and yes, I do own own one -
a Cervany bass trombone sized straight model in F. Perfect for the
lighter cimbasso parts, (I wouldn't try it for the Verdi _Requiem_). It
did just fine on _Othello_. I am going to have to sell it, though,
because it looks like the opera is not going to spring for an extra
trombonist on the Italian operas anymore and will use a tuba on those
parts. Quite sad.
I think Andrew was trying to draw a real distinction between a tenor
trombone with a valve (what he called a "tenor-bass trombone") and a
bass trombone. But a composer does not need to dictate the number of
valves for either the tenor or bass trombonist, the composer should just
write what he/she wants, the player will do what he/she needs to do to
play it.
Trombonists do not use the term "tenor-bass trombone" as it is
meaningless - the bore size determines tenor or bass, not any valve.
It is a useful term only in discussing the application of the valve to
the large bore Bb trombone back in the 1830-40 era, to distinguish the
new "tenor-bass" trombone from the tenor and bass then in use.
2. I had an interesting experience once, filling in, in the same brass
quintet, one day for the horn player, the next day for the tuba player.
Both times I was playing euphonium. It made me realize just what a
versatile instrument the four valve compensating euphonium is.
3. I _have_ seen a flugel use a mute, but it was on, uh, well, a piece I
wrote for band. I wrote a muted flugel solo. It was back in my youth,
I was trying to get an unusual timbre. I wouldn't guess that anyone in
the audience ran home to write a muted flugel solo of their own, if you
get my drift. (Just not a distinctive sound, in other words.)
3.5 I don't know if your observation on mutes is because of the conical
bore or tradition, or large bells with inconsistent sizes, or what.
Horns do plenty with mutes and hand-stopping. Muted tuba is not really
that effective by itself, but muted tuba works well with muted
trombones. I like the first entrance of the euphonium and tuba in
Strauss "Don Quixote," both muted - quite effective at ff. Much of the
problem is that the mutes are just not that good - there a lot of bad
tuba mutes in use, for example, while trombone and trumpet players keep
searching for the best ones.
4. I don't get along with bass trumpet. I play one sometimes, but I
don't like it (nor does anyone around me.)
5. That Yamaha 321 is a great euphonium - it's a fave of Left Coast jazz
doublers, according to Scott Ferguson. Despite what I said above, most
of the time one does not need the compensating system, and the horn
rings freer without it. (Necessary for tuba arts, though.) Besides the
compensating Besson I mentioned earlier, I have an old Conn 24-I, a
non-compensating horn that sings like crazy. It was/is the euph of
choice of Henry C. Smith way back in the Philadelphia Orch and of Jay
Friedman in Chicago Symph. I play the Conn on most orchestra stuff,
except I use the Besson on _The Planets_.
RBH
Williams, Jim wrote:
Couple of comments...
1. Cimbasso, anyone? Does the LO own one, Ray, or does anyone in your section?
Perhaps that is what Andrew means? Cimbassi come in all the tuba keys (F, Eb,
CC, BBb)
2. A great use for euphonium is as a replacement for the HORN in a brass
quintet. Our quintet has been doing this for years (yours truly, euph player)
and it has really opened some possibilities, especially in pop/jazz realms. If
I need a much smaller sound in the quintet, I use a real british-style baritone
horn (A genuine British Yamaha 621).
3. In countless years spent in some of the diviest dives either side of I-65, I
have never encountered a flugel player who put a mute in the thing. Perhaps
some of them should have, but they didn't. See below...
3.5 Is it just me or do the conoidal non-horn brass (euph, tuba, flugel) not
lend themselves to mutes as well as the cylinders do? (I have never liked
listening to muted euphonium or tuba, and I really dislike having to use one).
FWIW, conoidal brass also don't respond to those 800-lb. gorilla heavywall
mouthpieces as well as the cylinders do.
4. I have a small-bore Holton 58 bass trumpet, and I know how to use it. Be
warned. If it looks like a duck, if it quacks like a duck, it must be my bass
trumpet.
5. Euphonium has a lot of untapped potential in jazz ensembles large & small and
orchestras. Remember that, composers & arrangers! It adds a nice bit of conical
mellowness to the piercing cylindricity of trumpets & trombones. A Yamaha 321 works
well in pop/jazz rather than one of the bigger-bore compensating horns. A lot of
trombonists double on a 321. What do you use in the LO, Ray?
Jim W.
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