Being that Colleague you dissuaded to buy one [ I seem to remember we were both going to buy one before you thankfully tried one ;-) ] I am glad we didn't.
My experience with Wagner Tuba is mainly limited to Bb but I do have fond memories of playing duets with Bill Melton on a couple of F Tuba's which I enjoyed very much! I have been on the receiving end of a Paxman Double Tuba and there really is no comparison between it and the real thing! Francis On 24 Jun 2011, at 11:24, Ralph Hall wrote: > Hans, > > Thank you for putting so well my own thoughts on these desperately > compromised instruments. As you say, they have nothing to do with > Wagner's musical intentions as anybody who has played the Ring will > know. > > Unfortunately I have played one of these instruments and managed to > stop a colleague actually buying one. When I played the Wagner Tuba > regularly (F Tuba) one orchestra had a quartet of the (then) new > Paxman compensating tubas. They were awful and seemed designed > specifically to give high horn players the chance to grab all four > tuba parts for themselves. Fortunately, the conductor didn't > appreciate the thin sound either, so common sense prevailed. If there > is no nobility of sound, Wagner and Bruckner have every right to come > back and haunt us. > > Ralph > On 24 Jun 2011, at 06:29, Hans Pizka wrote: > >> These hybride Wagner tubas (not "tuben") have not much to do with the >> sound Richard Wagner wanted them to allow. The Bb-Tubas might come >> near to what Wagner had in mind as the upper voice but within >> limitations. >> The bell of these tubas is much wider than the original Bb-tubas, and >> their sound is rather hollow, while the sound of the F-side of these >> hybrid >> tubas is not as warm and dark colored than the single F-Tubas, which >> allow a most solemn expression. >> >> Why are these hybrid (compensating) tubas built at all ? Just to >> please the >> notorious Bb-players who seem to have difficulties remembering the F- >> fingerings. >> >> Well, I admit, if you are freelancing, it could be practical to use >> one of >> these instruments to be ready for all kind of tuba parts, high or >> low, Bb or F. >> But it would remain a non satisfying compromise. >> >> Wouldn´t it be better to arrange the compromise in the brain, >> perhaps ???? >> >> I have not tried one of these described instruments from China, but >> noticed >> the trend to the Bb when teaching & traveling there. It is a mere >> negligence >> to arrange the change valve in a way, making a special action >> necessary >> to reverse the initial setting. >> >> We have to deal with a certain way of thinking our instruments, as >> described by >> our colleague Ricardo Matosinhos, who described the way the double >> horns are set >> in many countries of the world: in Bb-F. >> >> I have explained, why this way is quite impractical: just two >> examples: >> Strauss op.11 beginning of the solo with the f1-f2 jump. If you >> start with the F-side >> 1 & switch into Bb-horn, leaving the 1 stay, it is much faster >> action than releasing >> the thumb valve. During the famous beginning of "Rheingold" you have >> no chance >> to escape such impractical action when the horn is set in Bb-F. But >> if you have the >> horn set in F-Bb, as it should be, you can switch back & forth using >> the better harmonics >> and such easier upward jumps. Try it & understand. >> >> Best regards to all participants at the SFO Symposium. >> >> Hans Pizka >> >> PS: Could not attend, as I had a long planned Far East travel & >> returned just last night. >> Am 22.06.2011 um 16:55 schrieb J. Ewalt: >> >>> I'm not at the IHS, but I did pick up one of the Chinese tuben on >>> eBay a >>> couple of years ago - engraved Jinbao. Mine arrived sitting in Bb as >>> well. It's not quite "field adjustable", but it just took a small >>> piece >>> of scrap brass and a few minutes to reverse the trigger. >>> >>> Jake >>> >>> On 6/22/2011 9:23 AM, Leonard & Peggy Brown wrote: >>>> This is mostly aimed at anyone at the IHS convention right now. I >>>> have >>>> Emailed several friends about this but have not heard from them. >>>> Could >>>> someone check out the compensating Wagner Tubas from China and let >>>> me know >>>> if the trigger is set up in F/Bb or Bb/F? They sent me one in Bb/ >>>> F and I >>>> would like to know if that is the standard. >>>> >>>> Regards, >>>> Leonard >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> post: [email protected] >>> unsubscribe or set options at >>> https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/hpizka%40me.com >> >> _______________________________________________ >> post: [email protected] >> unsubscribe or set options at >> https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/ralph%40brasshausmusic.com > > Ralph R. Hall > [email protected] > Ralph R. Hall > http://www.brasshausmusic.com > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > post: [email protected] > unsubscribe or set options at > https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/solohorn%40mac.com _______________________________________________ post: [email protected] unsubscribe or set options at https://pegasus.memphis.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
