The accompaniment was only slightly nebulous, and that’s a big compliment considering we only ran through it one time in one rehearsal, and I seriously doubt that many other players listened to a YouTube video of it. The arrangement works, just in case anyone is interested in purchasing it and using it. For what it’s worth, I didn’t use any music. I think - of all solo pieces in the literature (though I still don’t consider the tuba to be a “solo“ instrument) - working tuba players should - at least - have this little movement memorized, if not the entire (not-very-long) concerto. i’m not criticizing anyone who would play this with sheet music in front of them, but thinking back to how Harvey Phillips lectured us on how very important it is for us to behave in subtle ways to encourage others to take our instrument seriously, one of them (maybe?) might be to actually know the single most notable (composer-wise) solo work for our instrument...and I don’t mean to lecture everyone about this… Mostly, I’m encouraging the young players (who read these posts) to think about this.
The personnel manager (I didn’t ask) told me that he would send me a “clip”, so I’ll listen, and see if it sounded about as good as I thought it did.
One of our subscribers, here, (a great player - very busy in normal times, good friend and client) came all the way from Nashville and stayed for both shows.
Truth be told, I actually had a lot more fun playing all of the other pieces on the concert...a lot of great parts written for the tuba...even more playing than one would do in a typical band concert...Lots of notes…and quite a few of them were pretty quick ones.
oh yeah: They did go ahead and spring for a fourth trumpet player, so nearly all of the parts in the arrangements were covered, which was cool. I looked up one time, and there was a piccolo, an E-flat flat, a B-flat or C, and a flugel - all going at the same time.
...lots of fun, and got paid, too.
https://m.facebook.com/events/3084602768244305
Wes Ramsey is a Nashville-based composer arranger, who arranged a march - actually written by Mac Davis (country music star, actor, and composer who actually wrote the song “In The Ghetto“ for Elvis Presley... Mr. Davis passed away a couple of weeks ago...) - that we played on the concert. Mr. Ramsey arranged/orchestrated it for brass just last year.
Obviously, Mac Davis wrote that march years and years ago. It was actually written on a bet that Mr. Ramsey made Mac Davis on the golf course - that Mr. Davis could not write a March.
(fwiw... The tuba part that Mr. Ramsey wrote - in his brass choir orchestration - is very very busy.)
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. The program was American themed, many short pieces. It's funny how over time the way you listen to a concert changes. I used to listen more like a contest judge. Now I listen to the composition, the interaction between players and the conductor’s interpretation.
" Stars & Stripes Forever"… my favorite tuba sound of the night!!! And the obligatory piccolo solo on tuba brought down the house.. The biggest smile of the night for me was Joe slamming the break strain right out of the piccolo solo!! hooray!!! Now to the second show much the same as the first with a little bit of 15th round coming to the higher brass. The Vaughn Williams WAS the tuba concerto that it IS. Joe played expressively with projection over the top of the ensemble. I think when Joe played with authoritative projection and tone the ensemble perked up “ohHH we’re MAKING music” …Take 2 was the keeper!!! BRAVO
