This Tuba Tuesday the Museum showcases an instrument that it purchased from the late Mr. Herbert Wexelblatt (1927-2019): a Rudolf Sander, 3 rotary valve compact BBb tuba.
Herbert (Herby) Wexelblatt was Principal Tuba with the New York City Metropolitan Opera Orchestra from 1961 to 1996, thirty five years! Mr. Simonetti had the privilege of studying with Mr. Wexelblatt when he was a tuba major at the Manhattan School of Music in the early to mid 1960s. He was one of the kindest teachers Mr. Simonetti ever had and so Mr. Simonetti was saddened to hear of his recent passing at the age of 92. He brought the Sander small BBb tuba to Mr. Simonetti in the late 1990s when he was moving to Florida after he retired from the Met. Orchestra. As Mr. Simonetti remembers, he told Mr. Simonetti that he used it as a practice instrument when he was on vacation. The instrument he played in the orchestra was a much larger Sander BBb.
Rudolf Sander was a late 19th early 20th century maker whose tubas were favored by the great Danish /American tubist, August Helleberg (1861-1936). One of Helleberg’s students was Fred Geib (1871-1950) who was Wexelblatt’s teacher. Geib also played Rudolf Sander tubas and Wexelblatt bought his large Rudolph Sander BBb from Geib and used it exclusively throughout his entire long career. However, Mr. Simonetti doesn’t remember if the featured compact three valve Sander BBb tuba was also purchased from Geib.
https://simonettitubacollection.com/ins ... -3-rotary/