Posted by Chuck Jackson on August 20, 2001 at 17:55:18:
In Reply to: Bruckner posted by Steve Dedman on August 20, 2001 at 17:43:51:
I think there has been a thread or two about this. I heard the 4th in Vienna in 1989 played on an F tuba. It was pretty amazing, really didn't miss the Contrabass sound at all. I think it may be weird to our ears. The tuba acted more as a bass brass instrument than an orchestral bottom. It was a whole new sound concept to me. I would be inclined to try it on F, but actually performing it on F may be something different. Gotta admit, the part is, on the whole, a bunch easier on the smaller instrument. As for the 7th, I couldn't tell you. The second movement calls for a contrabass instrument. I don't think I would want to play the last movement on anything close to an F, talk about laying bad on the instrument. Ouch!!!