Posted by Alex L on July 29, 2000 at 03:16:50:
I'm teaching at a performing arts camp in the catskills in New York, and the orchestra is playing B's 5th. We have no contra bassoon, so I'm
covering the part. It's a very difficult piece, and it actually doesn't sound ridiculous as long as my low register remains flexible.
Before we found the CB part I read through the bass part at a couple rehearsals. This past year I've gotten obsessive about my orchestral sound
matching a bass section, most of the time. B's bass parts are extremely difficult for bassits, and ever harder for (most) tubists. If you want to really
challenge yourself, borrow some bassist's excerpt books sometime, get your octave transpositioning in shape (basses sound an octave below the
written part) and go to town.
I do feel a little out of sort playing a master's work on an inauthentic instrument, but the director and I like how it's working out.
has anyone else gotten to do this sort of thing?
Alex