Posted by JoeS on January 19, 2003 at 17:37:26:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Rotary vs Pistons in Germany(and Europe) posted by When in Rome on January 19, 2003 at 16:55:47:
...but the mechanical device that changes the length of the instrument plus the length of the instrument itself do not define a "style" nor a "sound".
An American Principal Trumpet friend of mine plays a best-made orchestra-owned rotary trumpet on some stuff (Brahms, etc.). He quipped, "If I forget to bring the rotary, all I have to do is play out-of-tune and miss a few notes.
The Vienna Philharmonic seems to be THE orchestra in Europe that, unless one plays "funny" instruments (oboes, horns, etc.), one is not a member. Of course, it also seems that one must also be Viennese as well.
I would bet that most European Music Directors know approximately the same amount about tubas, the mechanics of their valves, and their lengths, as the average American Music Director.
Joe "Who suspects that European Music Directors don't know much of anything about tuba mechanics nor g.a.s. about it." S.