Re: Vaughan Williams on BBb? Why not?


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Posted by Rick Denney on May 27, 2003 at 10:05:31:

In Reply to: Vaughan Williams on BBb? Why not? posted by Lan on May 21, 2003 at 22:45:43:

The thread is probably too far down the list now, but I heard something over the weekend that made me want to respond. I heard a string-bass player perform a cello work.

He played it well. But I have to ask, why? I think the only reason for a string-bassist to play a cello work is to prove that he can. That might be enough reason for the practice room, but I wonder if it is enough for a recital audience.

The Vaughan Williams was composed for F tuba, and the instrument in the composer's mind was a pretty small F tuba at that. If an F tuba sounds different than a contrabass, then the Concerto, when played on a contrabass, will sound like a bass-tuba work played on a contrabass. If you can make the BBb tuba sound like an F tuba, then there's no problem. But that is quite a tall challenge, it seems to me.

It seems to me that a good performance is more than playing all the notes cleanly. There is also the character of the work, and that requires an instrument in keeping with that character. Always when departing from the composer's wishes, one assumes the burden of explaining why, so before you can justify it I think you have to decide why you are doing it.

If I had no F tuba, I'd probably practice on a Bb if that's all I had. But I'd probably be cautious about performing it that way in public, even if I could play all the notes cleanly (which I can't).

Rick "taking the contrary view" Denney


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