Posted by Rick Denney on January 08, 2003 at 15:01:24:
In Reply to: The true North HOLTON - first impression posted by DS on January 08, 2003 at 13:13:28:
Heh, heh.
We played the Holst 2nd Suite last night. No problem with the technical passages. We also played a medly of West Side Story tunes, including some big crescendos. No problem moving earth.
And no complaints from our associate conductor, who is a stickler for intonation.
The Reunion Blues Grand Orchestral bag will fit this instrument, though it is snug. Greg Cronkhite (the current keeper of the RB flame) will probably know what you are talking about, and Tony Clements will surely know (he sold me mine--but for the York Master).
I don't suggest an Altieri. If you think this horn is heavy, wait until you have loaded it in a top-loader a few times. And the put-it-on-its-bell-and-pull-the-bag-over-it method is no good--this instrument is not stable enough on its bell, threatening disaster.
The valve branches of most front-action piston tubas have a slide top and bottom where it makes sense. This is a good practice. I leave the top ones in "tuned" position and the bottom ones in all the way. I use the bottom ones for draining water, and don't have to remember where they were positioned. But I can't follow this strategy with my Holton, because the upper fourth slide is stuck (at 3/4" showing) and the lower third slide jams if I push it in all the way. It needs some work to align the slides.
Rick "who is actually getting used to the small buttons" Denney