Posted by Chuck Jackson on July 09, 2003 at 22:42:28:
We can probably chalk this post up to having too much time on my hands. I heard a wonderful recording of Dukas' Symphony in C tonight. A really nice work with some cool tuba writing. This led me to muse on the French literature, and specifically the use of the French tuba in C within the orchestral setting. The following is a list of pieces I have either played or are fimiliar with that may have been written with this particular(peculiar?) instrument in mind.
1. Symphony on a French Moutain Air/ Vincent D'Indy- GREAT tuba part, very high.
2. Pacific 231/Honneger- Tricky high solo
3. Typical Ravel Stuff- you can always count on a weird tuba lick(Please don't get started on Pictures. IMHO, probably not the strongest arrangement out there)
4. Stravinsky Rite and Petrouchka- Enough said.
All the Franck(Chausseur D'Maudit excepted) and Saint-Saens along with the standard French tuba solos, I pose this question:
Can you tell me of pieces I may have missed that may have been written with this instrument in mind? Go for it. Oh yeah, I already know about the Chausson Symphony in Bb, give me some real obscure stuff, I am honestly interested. Thanks in Advance. Have Peace.
Chuck