TubaForum.net

Posted: **Sun Dec 06, 2020 7:55 am**

Hi all,

I just stumbled upon a reference to a Sousa Band concert in early 1922, and it mentioned how bummed the audience was that "no solo was played on the huge bass tuba, which was the cynosure of all boyish eyes" (when's the last time you heard, or used, "cynosure"?!).

Sousa did feature a Sousaphone solo at times (a very young Bill Bell from 1921-24), but not that night. However, flutist Meredith Willson was featured, and that got me thinking about The Music Man, and especially the song, "Seventy-Six Trombones."

You can read more about my musings here: http://tubapastor.blogspot.com/2020/12/ ... n-man.html

Enjoy!
Dave

: 1962 The Music Man - Sousaphones.JPG (104.7 KiB) Viewed 1238 times

Posted: **Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:00 am**

Posted: **Mon Dec 07, 2020 7:08 am**

tofu wrote: ↑Mon Dec 07, 2020 3:00 amIt's been decades since I've seen the movie, but I would swear in the closing reprise of "76 Trombones" at the very end of the movie - perhaps going into the final credits there was one stanza as the endless band goes by that included the line "when the one and only tuba player takes his place". Again it's been a long time so I could be just nuts. Now I'm going to have to watch the movie again.

Well, you piqued my curiosity, so I checked the original Broadway play from 1957, and that line isn't there. And then I checked the 1962 movie, both when the song shows up first, and then is reprised during the credits, and that line isn't there.

But online, a few lyrics sources do include the verse below - but did Willson write it? And when and where does it show up in a version of the musical? I have no idea, but it is not included in the original play or movie.

Is it possible that some disgruntled tuba player added the verse at some point?!

Seventy six trombones hit the counter point,
While a hundred and ten cornets played the air.
Then I modestly took my place as the one and only bass,
And I oompahed up and down the square.

Posted: **Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:47 am**

Posted: **Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:33 am**

tofu wrote: ↑Tue Dec 08, 2020 3:47 amThanks Dave for proving I'm not going completely bananas as this is exactly the stanza as I remember and I know I've heard it more than once. Is it possible there is a commercial recording someone did that added the lines? I seem to remember the music being poplar for years. If so they definitely did it in both the sound and style of the movie version. Now this is going to drive me insane until I find it. I never saw any play version so I know I did not hear it there. I know there was a remake done of the movie, but I never saw that so I have no idea what the musical score was like and I know I heard this line years before the re-make was done. My group has played 2 or 3 different versions, but I know none of them had the line in it. Is it possible it shows up in a movie trailer they did for movie previews and marketing? It's an enigma!

I did stumble upon a video from a few years ago of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing the song, and it DID include that verse. Perhaps a few verses were added for a choral version? (There is another verse out there talking about a gong). Or perhaps some of Willson's original verses were cut for the musical, but brought back for the choral feature? Enigma, indeed!

Posted: **Fri Dec 11, 2020 1:12 pm**

Meredith Willson was a flute player, a very good player. I haven't met a flute player yet that likes brass, much less tubas and Sousaphones.

Ace

Posted: **Tue Dec 29, 2020 11:41 pm**

Posted: **Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:52 am**

Give yourself a break. 3:42 into a four hour movie isn't exactly "in plain sight"

Let's just say it's less obvious than "under a big dubya I say, a big dubya!!"

Now I'll have to watch Music Man again....

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 7:49 am**

tofu wrote: ↑Tue Dec 29, 2020 11:41 pmDave Dave Dave!

I found/heard the line - it was hiding in plain sight.

Fox ran the original movie tonight. I was trying to pay attention to listen to all the times the song shows up, but ended up getting engrossed in an M&A agreement. About 15 minutes before the end of the movie my dogs started campaigning to go outside when I looked up just in time to see Prof. Hill sing about taking his place as the one and only bass. It's a scene towards the end of the movie -just after he has walked Marian back to her house after meeting her at the bridge in the park. She is upstairs fixing her hair and he is outside on the front steps leaning against a porch railing. It's a call and response duet with each of them singing parts of the song individually when he sings the line. This is just before Buddy Hackett shows up to warn that a town mob is looking for Professor Hill to tar & feather him. I don't know if this scene is in the original play or the redo of the movie.

BTW, don't know if you've seen it, but apparently Dave Warden is a big fan of the play?movie and he has a page on his site about it. There are some interesting tidbits such as all the instruments were supplied by Olds and the big marching band at the end included both the UCLA and USC marching bands. Robert Preston hadn't sung before and learn to sing for the show. It's an interesting read if you haven't seen it.

Well, shipoopi - what do you know?! I've watched that movie many times, but that little scene never registered with me. But yep, that verse is right there (scene 40 on my DVD).

Now, as to Dave Werden's reference that the UCLA and USC marching bands were involved in the movie, that would be interesting to confirm, as I was the tuba section leader of the USC band in the early 80s. We are known as "Hollywood's Band," but of all of the things we've boasted about in our history, I never once heard of our involvement in "The Music Man." But its entirely possible!

Thanks for helping to solve the mystery about the tuba reference in "Seventy-Six Trombones." The only question that remains is whether it is original with Meredith Willson.

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:22 am**

Dave, you mention you are fooling around with a 1927 Pan American 64K Grand Sousaphone. Can you post a photo or two of that horn? Thanks.

Ace

Posted: **Thu Dec 31, 2020 4:44 pm**

Ace wrote: ↑Thu Dec 31, 2020 11:22 am Dave, you mention you are fooling around with a 1927 Pan American 64K Grand Sousaphone. Can you post a photo or two of that horn? Thanks.

Ace

Well, that was written about 9 years ago, but sure - this was a Sousaphone that my son (pictured here in 2011) rescued from his middle school, as it was unplayable, nasty looking, and in the discard pile. But with a little tender loving care, as well as a few essential repairs from Matt Walters, it came out great! My son played it all through high school in his marching band. It was the best playing horn of the section! (It's basically a Conn 14K.)

: 2011 - restored 1927 Pan American 64K Sousaphone.JPG (66.92 KiB) Viewed 965 times

Posted: **Sat Apr 09, 2022 3:58 am**

TubaForum.net

No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!

Re: No tubas in "Seventy-Six Trombones"? C'mon, man!