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Greetings:

Perhaps some of you will be interested in this archival recording of William Bell.

William Bell, principal tuba of the New York Philharmonic, sings and plays Herman Hupfield's "When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba Down in Cuba," accompanied by the Philharmonic conducted by Leopold Stokowski. Maestro Stokowski also introduces the performance, which was recorded live at Carnegie Hall on March 12, 1949.

https://soundcloud.com/user-446507762/b ... al_sharing

Cheers!

Rick Benjamin

Gosh I hadn’t heard Bill Bell playing that in decades. Back when I started playing in 7th grade my private lesson teacher gave me the LP “Bill Bell and his tuba”. I wore that record out. That was one of the pieces on the album -although I seem to recall it was just a piano accompaniment. Bell seems like he was such an incredibly gifted, but fun guy & quite the character. Had to have been well respected though by Stokowski for the Maestro to have both programed this piece, personally introduced it & Bell to the audience.

Thanks for posting. Had no idea this had happened. Now I have to find & play that old LP.

Incredible - thanks so much for posting this!

Thank you for sharing this. I too, wore out the Bill Bell and His Tuba cassette tape.

I performed a MUCH MUCH more conservative and straight version of this when I attended the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing arts back in........I guess it was 1996. We dressed up and had a choreography and everything. At the end the singers were gathered around me and one stuck a fake rose in my mouth.

"Picture or it didn't happen"


I hope I can find this original 35mm picture so I can get a better digital image.

I like this version a bit better than the version on the record.

The record is interesting, but IMO some of the artistry is a little obscured by the hokey/somewhat rinky-dink backup band. Lots of xylophone!

arpthark wrote: Wed May 14, 2025 5:05 pm I like this version a bit better than the version on the record.

The record is interesting, but IMO some of the artistry is a little obscured by the hokey/somewhat rinky-dink backup band. Lots of xylophone!

Now I remember the record version - you can’t miss the xylophone - especially back on my folks primitive stereo back in 1970 - it was underwhelming bass and overwhelming treble.

But, I have to disagree - I think the record version is true to the nature of the piece. It’s meant to be a hokey goofball novelty piece. I think the backup band and the xylophone really add to that. I think that’s what struck me about the above performance having a serious orchestra and conductor perform it in Carnegie Hall. Without the context of the rest of the program -it just seemed odd to me that they would play that piece with a serious orchestra during a classical concert. Were there such things as Pops Concerts way back then? I don’t know - I’d be curious if any other serious orchestra has ever played it since.

tubatodd wrote: Wed May 14, 2025 3:18 pm Thank you for sharing this. I too, wore out the Bill Bell and His Tuba cassette tape.

I performed a MUCH MUCH more conservative and straight version of this when I attended the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing arts back in........I guess it was 1996. We dressed up and had a choreography and everything. At the end the singers were gathered around me and one stuck a fake rose in my mouth.

"Picture or it didn't happen"


I hope I can find this original 35mm picture so I can get a better digital image.

I played Judas Maccabaeus off that album as my seventh grade solo. I played it exactly as Bell had played it on the record -including opening with the Bb above the staff. I was quite proud of being able to nail that note cold. I played it really well. When I got the judging sheet back the judge went on and on how it is customary to play the opening with the Bb in the staff. He marked me down a whole point from a 1 to a 2 for that saying it is important to properly research the music one is playing.

I thought I had played the whole thing very well and thought I had understood the piece pretty well having played it in the style of the legendary Bill Bell. At my next lesson I gave the judging sheet to my private lesson teacher. He was probably about 78 or so and a retired DC Marine Band euph player. He looked at it and said “This guy - this guy -he’s an idiot clarinet player! Why in the hell is he judging low brass? Disregard this moron’s comments. He wouldn’t know a tuba from a hole in the ground!” And with that he ripped the sheet up and threw it in the wastepaper basket. Still makes me laugh thinking about it.