rehearsal good news

[bloke]

Rehearsing the Mendelssohn Shakespearean incidental music - which only involves the overture (fun, great piece) and wedding march (very busy, less-great, less-fun) for the tuba (covering the ophicleide part)…
This evening is the dress rehearsal, and - so far - the only specific mentions of “tuba“ have been asking me to move over from the back corner of the stage to a vacant-for-this-suite French horn chair, in order to place me closer to those with whom my part aligns (something that I was hoping to be able to do anyway). … so I don’t believe that particular mention of “tuba“ counts against my “score“. oh yeah: I was also asked to drive the bus on a grandioso-ish measure (a last minute addition of interpretation) just before the last statement of the main theme of the wedding march:

mend ex.png (15.39 KiB) Viewed 786 times

I almost did a couple of phone recordings last night but,
- I hate doing that.
- The trumpets were right behind me, and would’ve seen me do it.
(Maybe, I’ll push the button and set the phone on the floor - offering a nice video of the bottom of my molded chair, to go along with the audio track of the dress rehearsal run-throughs of those two selections…??)

I've played this suite (or overture-only) several times, over the years (the first time ever, several decades ago: at a Floyd Cramer pops concert - serving as one of the "light classics" first-half pieces). I've been the go-to/auto-called sub for this particular orchestra, coming up on five decades...so (particularly not with a music director who has only been seated for two or three years), I would NEVER walk in chatting up this-or-any such music director with my so-called (yeah...right... ) "brilliant ideas"...
...but the NEXT TIME I play this suite (or overture), I would LIKE to give it a shot (at least, in a rehearsal) with a large-bore (NOT the Yamaha 321, that I used, recently, to play "Mars") euphonium with a large (such as my Elliott contrabass trombone) mouthpiece. It just seems to me that would offer a resonance (unlike F tuba) more resembling the original ophicleide resonance, YET with the additional decibel output, required (as the pieces were composed about 180 years ago) to balance with metal-strings violins/violas/cellos/basses as well as larger/louder 21st-century wind instruments.

bloke “who views not hearing the word, ‘tuba’ from the podium, as the definition of a successful orchestra rehearsal.”

[Doc]

Rehearsing the Mendelssohn Shakespearean incidental music - which only involves the overture (fun, great piece) and wedding march (very busy, less-great, less-fun) for the tuba (covering the ophicleide part)…
This evening is the dress rehearsal, and - so far - the only specific mentions of “tuba“ have been asking me to move over from the back corner of the stage to a vacant-for-this-suite French horn chair, in order to place me closer to those with whom my part aligns (something that I was hoping to be able to do anyway). … so I don’t believe that particular mention of “tuba“ counts against my “score“. oh yeah: I was also asked to drive the bus on a grandioso-ish measure (a last minute addition of interpretation) just before the last statement of the main theme of the wedding march:
mend ex.png

bloke “who views not hearing the word, ‘tuba’ from the podium, as the definition of a successful orchestra rehearsal.”

I almost did a couple of phone recordings last night but,
- I hate doing that.
- The trumpets were right behind me, and would’ve seen me do it.
(Maybe, I’ll push the button and set the phone on the floor - offering a nice video of the bottom of my molded chair, to go along with the audio track of the dress rehearsal run-throughs of those two selections…??)

Using F tuba?

[bloke]

Using F tuba?

short answer: yes

' added an edit (in blue) while you were posting...



I'm eagerly looking forward to taking *"Stubby" (the recently-built Holton B-flat) to Nutcracker rehearsals, beginning early next week.

*

...and - being short, piston-valved, front-action, and 5th-valve-enhanced - it will likely be mistaken for an "archestrulll" C-tuba.

[Doc]

Using F tuba?

short answer: yes

' added an edit (in blue) while you were posting...

I assumed correctly based on past commentary. The large bore euphonium is a great idea if you can pass it off with the stick waver.

I'm eagerly looking forward to taking *"Stubby" (the recently-built Holton B-flat) to Nutcracker rehearsals, beginning early next week.

*Easy Button

We expect a full report. I hope I get to test that thing sometime soon.

...and - being short, piston-valved, front-action, and 5th-valve-enhanced - it will likely be mistaken for an "archestrulll" C-tuba.

When you're in tune and on time, what they don't know, don't hurt them.

[bloke]

' will be my first "B-flat" Nutcracker ever

Nutcracker (keys-wise) is a bunch of C, G, and D...and only a bit of A and E...and even a light dusting of E-flat.

bloke "C, G, and D are all 'band keys'...yes?"

When you're in tune and on time, what they don't know, don't hurt them.

A whole bunch of people (in an accompanying figure of straight eight notes, in a rehearsal) were told that their entrance was late and too slow. I whispered to one of them (obviously a friend, and good-natured) that it was also flat and the wrong note, but - other than that - it was pretty good.

[Doc]

' will be my first "B-flat" Nutcracker ever

Nutcracker (keys-wise) is a bunch of C, G, and D...and only a bit of A and E...and even a light dusting of E-flat.

bloke "C, G, and D are all 'band keys'...yes?"

Bands definitely play in those keys.

A whole bunch of people (in an accompanying figure of straight eight notes, in a rehearsal) were told that their entrance was late and too slow. I whispered to one of them (obviously a friend, and good-natured) that it was also flat and the wrong note, but - other than that - it was pretty good.

[bloke]

I didn’t bother to record it because I saw on my phone that someone was live streaming the dress on FB. I don’t know if they had permission too (??) but they were.

[Doc]

I didn’t bother to record it because I saw on my phone that someone was live streaming the dress on FB. I don’t know if they had permission too (??) but they were.

Can you share the link?

[bloke]

https://www.facebook.com/memphissymphon ... 0270589855

No wedding march live-streamed…but LOTS of the overture.
That wedding march is a blast to play.

[bloke]

The excerpt begins on the top line of page two...about 23 bars before the end of that 49 measure rest:

[KingTuba1241X]

I can't see the notes through all those sharps...

[bloke]

I’m an old guitar player, so E works for me.

I can't see the notes through all those sharps...

[KingTuba1241X]

As an electric bassist who plays scales on the left end of the neck instead of in the middle, yes these keys are easier. I guess I think differently when playing tuba. Maybe if I had learned C tuba really well it wouldn't be an issue.

[bloke]

In my best estimation – and not to be argumentative – E major scales require about the same quantities of button-mashing with either a B-flat tuba or C tuba.
…and agreed:
I’m not particularly fond of open strings, but tend to lean towards longer strings than shorter strings, as long as the inversion (whether six string, or four string bass guitar) is appropriate.

[bloke]

I played my Mendelssohn, got in the car, and headed out towards blokeplace. Sure enough, they were playing the Tchaikovsky piano concerto over the radio. I considered that to be bad form, since the Memphis Symphony was playing the same piece (live) at the very same time…and then I realized they were broadcasting the entire concert live over WKNO FM radio.

If you would like to hear the concert online, they are streaming it (again) at 8 PM central standard time on Friday, November 12 on the same radio station.

If you’re interested in hearing the complete Mendelssohn music, my best guess is that you can catch the beginning of the Overture (as the Mendelssohn suite is the second thing programmed) around 8:10 PM, you’ll then hear the Nocturne and Scherzo (no tuba), and then the Wedding March (which involves tuba, of course), is at the end. …Then intermission.

I played quite well… I HAD to, because a friend of mine - who plays tuba - was sitting backstage right behind the shell.