Posted by jon schultz on February 21, 2003 at 12:44:45:
In Reply to: 8va heros posted by JS on February 20, 2003 at 23:02:11:
Pretty accurate! I would agree to %99 percent of what JS says. However, I think the problem lies on the people who THINK they can drop it an octave and make it sound good. Unless you know it will make it sound good, or more accurately- BETTER, then don't do it. Sure, in my earlier years I wanted to drop some/most of the notes reasoning lower is better. WRONG. If done tastefully, maybe yes...
To my left(bell side) sits one of our other tuba players whose opinion I respect very much. He will definately let me know if it sounds bad. But if a certain section of the piece is questionable; then we might discuss it later after rehearsal, or during sectionals.
Getting back to the people who always like to drop it an octave; the sound, as stated above can become 'out-of-tune, unfocused and uncalled for mud'. You have to be supremely confident that you can hit those notes with accuracy AND MAKE THEM SOUND TASTEFUL. Obviously, if the piece is a Baroque transcription from an octet, you shouldn't even attempt it. Color is very important to each composer, and when players 'mess' with their parts, I should guess some indignation and even outrage from the composer would be appropriate. But with some of the late 20th century pieces, it may be a different story...
Most composers know what the majority of the tuba players are capable of and don't go beyond that (probably- just speculation on my part) because there is always going to be that person (or section) that can't do it cleanly, accurately, and tastefully. Last yesr for our school's Spring Concert, Our guest Composer (and conductor) stopped the band during the rehearsal because he heard a section in his composition that half our section dropped an octave. He said "Do it again", and started the band a couple bars earlier to get the effect for a second time. The he proceeded to write that part in his (original)score and said he liked it that way. Granted this was one time out of a thousand having the guest composer conduct his piece and saying he liked it better your way...