Tubas, euphoniums, mouthpieces, and anything music-related.
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Paulver wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 9:44 am
In fact, both Revelli and Fennel conducted a couple of our state festivals way back when. Revelli was "quite the fireball". I stood back stage at a state band concert and heard every word he said to the band........ mostly directed at the clarinets. WOW!!! Was he po'd at them!!!!! Those were the days!!
The director of bands at my college was a Michigan graduate from way back in the day, and played under Revelli. Lots of stories that I've since forgotten... But overall, yes, it sounded like quite a stressful, high pressure, traumatizing, but highly disciplined and successful experience.
I'm guessing that anyone who would attempt those methods in this day and age would promptly be removed from their position. And with so few jobs and such high competition for those jobs, I doubt anyone would really try to push their luck
Giannini - Praeludium et Allegro. Beautiful piece.
In my sophomore year in HS I played in the high school All-Star band at Western Michigan University. Would have been 1976. Revelli was the guest conductor. The Allegro starts with a wicked first clarinet line that our clarinets were having trouble with. Revelli went from first chair (which we all had to audition for) down the line, one by one, until he finally got to a young lady, about 6th chair, who actually practiced the thing and was able to nail it. He made her stand up, then all the clarinets in front of her stand up, then moved her straight to first chair and all the rest down one. Lots of tears that day. He was brutal.
I played Revelli's last ever concert before he died - he guest conducted at the University of Maryland (Spring of 1994 I believe). His protege', John Wakefield, was the Director of Bands there and somewhere near the middle his 40- year run at the school. Maestro Revelli was certainly a taskmaster, but, everything he said was fair and honest, albeit direct at times. John Wakefield learned that approach from him and taught me in the space of 4 weeks that you didn't have to be a professional to act professional, and that when you walked into rehearsal unless you were sight reading you were expected to have worked on the music. Still one of my favorite performances, ever.
Under-performed - Trauersinfonie. Yeah, it's funeral music, but, it's Wagner and it's a great way to show off a group that can play musically and in tune.
Wakefield also taught me... Make sure the detachable bell on your horn is tightly attached. Not that I've had one, but his upright bell toppled off in from of Revelli. Once (and only once!).
Very true words about Wakefield, too. There's a time to be serious and a time not to be, and the better you are (individual or as a group), the more non-serious you can be. (Which is also why I think groups like the Canadian Brass and Mnozil are able to do what they do!)
I was going to say Mannin Veen, Haydn Wood. Fun that someone else mentioned it first. Found the band set in the music library at the school I teach at. I love that piece, but have never played it.
As for The Universal Judgement, I played it in a (really good) community band when I was in 8th or 9th grade and it captivated me. When I was in undergrad, I suggested that piece to the band director and he ended up programming it for the symphonic band. I was thrilled.
tubaing wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 6:40 pm
I was going to say Mannin Veen, Haydn Wood. Fun that someone else mentioned it first. Found the band set in the music library at the school I teach at. I love that piece, but have never played it.
I played Mannin Veen with a band in NYC. The first time we sight read through it, the euphonium player (Sam Swartz) leans over to me during a rest and said "this sounds like Mannin Veen or some Shirt." Played more... Next rest, I said "Read the top of the page Sam!"
Sounds lame to write it out, but it was pretty funny. Sam's a great guy and was a really really good player, both on tuba (while he could still physically handle it well enough) and then on euph (runner up after tuba wasn't possible anymore). If I didn't know better, I'd have thought he was always a euph player, all sounded very easy and natural. I know he sold his tuba a couple of years ago, not sure about the euph. Haven't heard from him in a few years, hope he's doing well and still able to play something.
Quick story about Revelli at a state band festival........
Revelli was tearing into the clarinet section..... and mainly the first chair first clarinet, who would years later become a very good friend of mine. He was really ripping into this kid. (And this kid was a phenominal clarinet player.... even way back then.) He finally yelled, "What lesson book did you use to learn to play that thing?" My "eventual friend" calmly said, "The Wonderful World of Music by William D. Revelli!". (Or some such title that Revelli had actually written.) There was a stunning silence, and he turned his attention to other things in the rehearsal of the piece. When they finished that tune, Revelli leaned over to him and whispered in a much kinder voice..... "That book was meant for little kids! You need something better. You're too good for that!"
arpthark wrote:Holst's 1st Suite in E-fla—just kidding.
Kidding?
I think I’ve played it in concert maybe three times in 53 years. It has the highest ratio of war-horse reputation to performance frequency of any of them.
Rick “has played most of the works listed so far” Denney
arpthark wrote:Holst's 1st Suite in E-fla—just kidding.
Kidding?
I think I’ve played it in concert maybe three times in 53 years. It has the highest ratio of war-horse reputation to performance frequency of any of them.
Rick “has played most of the works listed so far” Denney
I've played 2nd suite a LOT more than 1st, but the tubas sure have the grand responsibility of starting the piece on the right foot.
1st suite -- low smooth and soft... Students and amateurs can do 2 of the 3, typically
2nd suite -- opening lyrics either "gonna F--- it up" or "please don't F--- it up
Must be my luck, then. In a span of 15 years, I've played it maybe 4 or 5 times across two states, three university bands, and two community bands. Twice as arrangements I did for tuba ensemble, so partly circumstances of my making. But not counting those.
Now that you mention it, Brett, I've probably done 2 a handful more times than 1. But it's about equal.
Never performed by me in my time in a real good kolij wind band: Lincolnshire Posy.
arpthark wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 8:38 pm
Never performed by me in my time in a real good kolij wind band: Lincolnshire Posy.
Me neither... I played it (only mvt 1, 2, and 5) in high school all-county band, my first year playing tuba. I had a Yamaha 3 valve tuba (hated it) so I couldn't play the pedal D's in the last movement.
I forget the other Grainger pieces I've played, there are several, but I did enjoy playing Children's March (I had the Marzan CC at the time).
I've never loved Molly on the Shore, but playing it alongside Kevin Ladd was a lot of fun (such a great player... Clean clean clean sound)
I'd also like to play The Immovable Do again... Played it in HS, but would be nice to play it with a lot more musicality and not just "playin the right notes and holding that dang Do for a million beats."
In high school, I bought a few CDs of Grainger music, and listened to them all the time.
A friend of mine had (foolishly, but whatev his choice) spent a ton of money on a new stereo system for his car, nice speakers, and a big subwoofer box that took up most of the trunk. Like most HS kids with a car, we would just cruise around and drive on the back roads and whatever, and bring along some CDs. I used to make him blast Grainger music in his car on the fancy stereo system. So nerdy, but it did sound nice. Particularly some pieces that had organ parts to them.
Life Member Baltimore Musician's Union Local 40-543
Life Member International Tuba Euphonium Association (ITEA)
Ph.D. Experimental Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience (a musician can do almost anything!)
Finetales wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:02 pm
I've played First Suite a whole bunch of times, but it never gets old. For my money it's the most perfect wind band piece ever written.
I've never played the Second Suite or Lincolnshire Posy.
' seems to me that the beginning of Suite 1 should be played by one tuba (in time / no stick).
Finetales wrote: ↑Sat Apr 15, 2023 11:02 pm
I've played First Suite a whole bunch of times, but it never gets old. For my money it's the most perfect wind band piece ever written.
I've never played the Second Suite or Lincolnshire Posy.
' seems to me that the beginning of Suite 1 should be played by one tuba (in time / no stick).
' interesting way to start a band piece, yes?
I've played the 1st suite several times. First time I played it was in a High School "Honor" group at the local Community College my junior year. We had, I think 9 tubas. That was the first time I saw a tuba other than the (two) Conn 21Js with severely pancaked upright bells my school owned (along with some King 1140s). It was an impressive sound for the beginning of that piece.
I've played it a time or two as the only player. I think I prefered the light/quiet version...
Some old Yorks, Martins, and perhaps a King rotary valved CC
