Posted by Klaus on June 26, 2001 at 08:56:28:
In Reply to: Re: Which F Tuba is MOST German? posted by Sean Chisham on June 25, 2001 at 21:17:24:
These points of views happen to make me wonder a bit:
As I see and, mostly, hear Hirsbrunner instruments, they are clearly divided in two lines of different national traditions. Even three if one counts their euphs being of British heritage.
Back in 1990 I had the good fortune to test the prototype of their 4P + 1R F tuba. Wow! Extremely easy to play over a range so wide, that I did not even know, I could do that. Of course in F, but with playing qualities of smoothness and fullness that makes me call it a euphonium. (I also find these qualities in UK and US designed Eb and BBb instruments. So I would define the US type of tubas as those with the "euphonium feel and sound" to them).
But Hirsbrunner also makes rotary tubas. As I hear the Hirshie rotary F it is most certainly a German style instrument. The German style tuba sound is hard to define, but if a harsh caricature might be allowed, then one could assume, that the players of German style tubas appear to be frustrated, that their mums did not give them bassbones. But that they seem to be happy, that their sound breaks up already at medium dynamics.
Of course this is a grossly overdone travesty, when one remembers the lean and elegant musical lines also being played on German tubas.
One more wondering: Why are the B&S tubas not mentioned in this context?
In my country the PT-11, it GDR predecessors, and their 6 valved variants have been in very widespread pro and top student level usage. Maybe Hirsbrunners would have been first choices, but not to a degree defending the price difference.
Klaus