Posted by Cazz on September 18, 1999 at 10:58:30:
In Reply to: Dvorak's Symphony No.9 (old No.5) posted by ELB on September 17, 1999 at 13:44:19:
I think the tuba was added as an afterthought (but the point of doubling only
one voice in the brass chorales (albeit a different timbre) is a bit mysterious.
Perhaps it wasn't there originally at all!?
*** A few more reflections...
Along a similar theme, I recall when my orchestra was required to play Mahler's
Das Lied von der Erde (Songs of the Earth) for the Ballet Company (any music
is fair game for choreographers). The tuba plays in only the fourth song for
approximately 7 bars (an interesting ditty, nonetheless).
The COOL thing was, I literally just sneaked into the pit, played my
tidbit, then sneaked out. The sneaking in and out was no mean feat, stairs
and other obstacles (& carrying the horn) in darkness - but it was worth it!
So, having performed Dvorak's New World only a couple of times professionally,
I hope if I should ever have to play it again, that it is as part
of one of our ballet programmes, so that I can employ the strategy that
served me so well for Das Lied von der Erde.
CAZZ
P.S. My first introduction to Dvorak's "From The New World" Symphony was
a Brass Band transcription of highlights, and there was plenty more to
keep a tuba player from dozing off... imagine my SHOCK when
I first played it with an orch! With the trombones and basses raging away,
you DO feel like a bit of a goose!