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I was just emailed pdf's of both Enigma and Pomp 1 (the entire #1) from the librarian of one of the commutable/bloke-plays-with freeway philharmonics, and (sure I've played both before, but) taking a more critical (and now: old-guy) look at both, both sure appear to have been written with an E-flat compensating bass in mind (which makes perfect sense, at least to me).

Sure...There are passages in both (with Pomp #1 - the soft, separated bass line in the part recognized by all, if nothing else) which would be tons of fun to play on a huge contrabass tuba, yet there are plenty of passages whereas both of these compositions holler "bass tuba, bloke !!!"

The lowest pitch found is the "cellar" E-flat, but a whole bunch of both live in the staff (as well as around the top of the staff).

Not that I'm any sort of "period instrument" person (everyone here knows that I'm perfectly happy playing my extra-large-belled compensating euphonium with an Elliott contrabass trombone mouthpiece - when playing ...ok: "some-to-most"...older French-written orchestral music)...but you won't see me with an ophicleide or serpent when playing Mendelssohn, or anything like that....but (as the E-flat tubas during Elgar's days were the 15-inch-belled type, I'm probably going to play BOTH of these works (as much fun as it would be to play the lower-tessitura portions of these pieces on the BIG tuba) on my F tuba.

The temptation (hee-hee...yes?) is always to use the largest tuba we can possibly get away with using, but - for those who've also played these before - do some of you agree that these are (when getting real) both bass tuba parts?

What else is on the concert...?? Prokofiev piano 3...no tuba, and even were it that I was offered the bass 'bone part, (well...) that part sucks.

Hi,
Those Elgar works do work well on comp Eb, sure!
Turn of C.20th here in England the tuba guys were all on F's as far as I know; mostly small Besson Comp models, and from v early in the 1900's Harry Barlow had his non-comp models made by B&H.
It wasn't until Fletch used his Eb in the 1960's that others followed suit. A big factor was that British orchestral Tubists were basically all ex-servicemen Euphonium players, and took to the Comp F's without much retraining. Fletcher was the first tuba professor in London so I guess his students followed his path on Eb...
Some fab early recordings around of folk on Comp and Barlow F's.

Thank you. I was pretty sure that all those things were correct, but it's nice to hear them from someone located at ground zero.


t would sort of be nice if there were at least one comp E-flat with a 15-in bell made these days. Those who have only played the 19-inch and even a 17 inch bell things really don't have an idea of what those 15-in bell instruments sound like and the stark difference.

For one thing, the 15-inch bell instruments are quite easy to use in regards to putting out a remarkably loud and clear sound. I completely understand the 19-in bell thing, but they sound a little too much like a King B-flat, and not enough different from the 19-in bell compensating B-flat instruments.

...so this orchestra is based in Tupelo, Mississippi.
If you own a sorta-recently-made Corolla or Highlander, it was made in Tupelo.

They throw these (yet another) "freeway philharmonic" concerts together in two rehearsals.

The brass section is quite good.

I used the F tuba on both Elgar pieces, as well as the (traditional, per first concert of the year) SSB (in G-major , arranged by Arturo Toscanini during WWII).

The SSB (in G, if you're curious) begins at around 9:20

The Elgar Pomp & Circumstance No. 1 March begins around 14:50

In the middle is a Prokofiev Piano Concerto (no tuba, YET excellent ).

The Elgar Enigma Variations begins right at 1:26
Tuba is involved in several of the variations (not all - several tacets). There is particular "tuba fun" around 1:45, as well as the FINALE at 1:52

I REALLY LIKE PLAYING THE F TUBA IN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRAS, as it's so easily heard/distinguishable.




If you're interested in following along,

> Here's Pomp & Circumstance No. 1: https://s9.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usim ... wBrass.pdf

> Here are the Enigma Variations: https://vmirror.imslp.org/files/imglnks ... wBrass.pdf