An Elephantine Spouting of Broughton

[the elephant]

My performance of the Broughton Concerto with the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra of Jackson will be on Sunday, 27 April 2025. I plan to play by memory, but of course, this could change if it proves to be impracticable or I chicken out, heh, heh…

More info will be provided in April. Admission is usually free, and performances are normally at St. Andrw's Cathedral, downtown.

Y'all come!

[catgrowlB]

Instead of the Broughton, get your MD to program Poulenc's Babar the Elephant
It's a very different, yet good piece with a very involved juicy tuba part, and not as stressful as a concerto. And other members of the orchestra get their little solos too.

[the elephant]

Thanks, but that is not how these things work.

This is a contract to appear as a "Primary Soloist" with this particular orchestra, meaning that I stand up front and get paid much more than a sit-in-the-back "Secondary Soloist". I have played "Babar" in my own orchestra six times in the past, and it is 100% a secondary soloist piece. (As you pointed out, in the "Babar" suite the tuba is not THE soloist, which sort of wastes the appearance fee this orchestra will pay me to stand up front if I hide in the back while others take heat, too. "Babar" is a very short feature, at best. I was hired to play a full concerto,)

Again, thanks…

[arpthark]

What horn are you Broughtoning on?

[the elephant]

I'm using my Adams F for this piece, though it lies quite well on the YamaYork; in fact, it probably works *better* on the Yamaha, but that tuba makes too wide of a tone to play this piece… in this venue… with this orchestra…

But what a fun idea!

[arpthark]

I'm using my Adam F for this piece, though it lies quite well on the YamaYork; in fact, it probably works *better* on the Yamaha, but that tuba makes too wide of a tone to play this piece… in this venue… with this orchestra…

But what a fun idea!

Thought you might pull out the 186 and Tommy Johnson it!

[the elephant]

I have a recording from TUSABTEC 1987 of him with Pershing's Own playing it on a 184 CC or a 180 F (about the same size and hard to tell apart at the distance I was sitting from the stage, but sounds like a small CC to my ears). It was Bobo-bright on that horn but it worked really well…

[MikeS]

My performance of the Broughton Concerto with the Metropolitan Chamber Orchestra of Jackson will be on Sunday, 27 April 2025. I plan to play by memory, but of course, this could change if it proves to be impracticable or I chicken out, heh, heh…

I think Isaac Stern had a really good handle on the pros and cons of playing from memory.

'For those who are constantly at battle with the demons that interfere with their memory, the resultant fear, stress and humiliation can render the most intelligent and profound musician into a state of onstage paralysis. For many, failure in the seemingly insurmountable process of memorisation is often an exercise in a sort of tortuous self-fulfilling prophecy. The harder we try, the more pressure we put on ourselves, and the inevitable intrusion of self-doubt gets a stranglehold of our senses. Our first obligation is as artists. We actually have a unique role. Like the actor who brings the written word to life, we must take a collection of notes and breathe air into them, give them meaning. Performing music requires a Zen-like clarity of mind. If we are too busy worrying, thinking and talking to ourselves, how can we truly be listening to our creative voice? if a musician's fear of performing from memory supersedes their ability to communicate effectively with an audience, then it's not worth it!'