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I call that piece "La Merde"

That'll show him!

At least this has 3.4 times more notes to play than Dvorak 9 and widespread dynamics! But still not my favourite piece on any tuba (but relaxing to play on the french c!)

The trombones don't have a WHOLE lot more to do than that. I played it in undergrad and it was pretty much just an "I get to listen to all these pretty flute solos" experience, not so much a playing one.

There is also a La Mer by a less-known composer named Paul Gilson. That one gives the low brass MUCH more to do, and is still a great piece.

IMHO, the French tuba gets a fascinating tone in that range, if played correctly. Debussy knew what he was doing.

...if I had one of those, if I invested the weeks and months to be able to figure out all of its quirks, and if I didn't fall asleep during that piece to play those handful of low notes where they belong.

Watch for tomorrow's Simonetti Museum post....

2-3 on the huge Meinl-Weston euphonium offers a pretty teethy low F sharp, and I could also play it with the Elliott contrabass trombone mouthpiece that I have - which looks more like a French tuba mouthpiece (and will play euphoniums without the pitch sagging). In fact, it looks a lot like a French tuba mouthpiece. Another advantage is that the M-W euphonium is not too quirky, and I have already figured out its few quirks...oh yeah: and I already own it, and (always convenient) already know which buttons to mash.
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bloke wrote: ↑Mon Feb 05, 2024 7:50 am if I invested the weeks and months to be able to figure out all of its quirks...

Not all that quirky. The first 5 valves are exactly the same as any CC tuba, just an octave up. And the 6th valve is an easy learning curve.

The button mashing isn't the biggest issue.

I've always played this on CC. I might try BBb these days.

I can see where my euphonium-(just a bit over-)sized instrument would add color to the low F sharps, as well as making them easier to hold out for the full length without busting ribs due to taking in so much air.

Optics-wise, the F tuba (with all those paddles mashed down) would accomplish the same - and probably with more loudless.