Re: Horn trends 4/4's


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Posted by Jim Williams on January 27, 2004 at 20:19:41:

In Reply to: Horn trends 4/4's posted by Kyle Turner on January 26, 2004 at 20:35:30:

As always, my reference point for the tuba is Harvey Phillips.

Many of you have seen the small Conn that he used throughout his career.
It would likely be a 4/4 in today's parlance.

In an orchestra, he sounded great on it and fit in perfectly.
In the NY Brass quintet, he sounded great on it and fit in perfectly.
In recording sessions, he sounded great on it and fit in perfectly.
At night playing Dixieland at Jimmy Ryan's, he sounded great on it and fit in perfectly.
The next morning doing jingles, he sounded great on it and fit in perfectly.
Making his solo records, he sounded great on it and fit in perfectly.
In Sauter-Finnegan, he sounded great on it and fit in perfectly.
Playing a 5th-sax part in a studio band, he sounded great on it and fit in perfectly.

Is there a pattern here?

Perhaps a player of Kyle's stature will help to get people thinking about stemming the tide of thermonuclear brass playing in orchestras.

I believe that Doug Yeo has also chimed in on this issue at yeodoug.com

Young performers: look first inside yourself, make yourself subservient to the music, then proceed. You have more control over the equipment than you think. Are you able to fit into multiple contexts smoothly???

I might add, as a frequently working euphonium player, that I have never been shorted on a paycheck beacuse I didn't play a Willson.

Jim "Not as old or pedantic as I sound" Williams


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