Posted by Steve Inman on February 24, 2001 at 18:50:09:
In Reply to: Re: Pls read before flaming: BBb vs. CC? posted by Larry Zaidan on February 24, 2001 at 17:48:33:
Hi Larry,
The Besson 983 Eb is a good quintet horn, IMO. But I'm not fond of the compensating low register. Fortunately, most quintet literature isn't written with multiple ledger line passages. And, fortunately, the Besson 983 has a nice, lighter upper register. Hence it works fine for my quintet *and* quartet playing.
I've been trying to make do with a single Eb tuba for playing that is about 40% quartet (2nd 'bone part, frequently), 40% quintet ("traditional" voices, where sometimes the bass voice is written for "bass 'bone/tuba" (i.e. higher), sometimes "tuba"), and 20% larger ensembles (12+ pc. brass choir every December, occasional mixed ensembles/pit orchestras).
For the larger groups & lower written music I encounter in 10-20% of my playing, I'd like to find a tuba with a larger sound that will be easier to play below the low BBb note. So, I'm thinking of giving up on the "one-tuba-fits-all" solution and switching to a two-tuba tool-set. (I'm also pondering a Willson Eb or a 5/4 Rudy Meinl, and staying with a single horn, but I still think a 4/4 BBb or CC will work better in the larger/lower playing situations.)
If I have a 4/4 CC, for example, I would plan to use it for any quintet part that says "tuba" on it, and/or for any quintet part where the group wants a heavier bass voice. I would then use the Eb (or an F if I make a switch in my small tuba) for any part that says "bass 'bone" on it, or where there's extended high register playing, or where I just feel like it, etc. I view the quintet group as the group where I want both my bass and contrabass tubas to "fit".
Then, for the quartet, I'd play the bass tuba exclusively, and for the larger ensembles, I'd probably play the contrabass tuba exclusively, unless there's some specific reason why the bass tuba would work better.
Steve Inman
Kokomo, IN