Posted by James on July 29, 2003 at 20:35:04:
In Reply to: Vaughan Williams - why? posted by Chris on July 29, 2003 at 19:38:59:
OK here i go. I have seen on here alot about the strauss horn concerto as done by Ted Cox. I myself have the arrangement and I also own the horn part. If you think about transcriptions of various horn instruments.... the strauss horn concerto in concert pitch would be in bass clef. (as horn sounds down a perfect 5th).
And the length of tubing on both the horn and the F tuba are exactly the same length. That's another reason as to play the horn concertos of any kind out there. It lies well on them both. Tuba literature isn't very vast so we should feel free to borrow and use any music out there. I remember the story as told by Harvey Phillips that Vincent Persichetti told him that all composers want you to play their music. Music is music no matter what instrument is playing it.
As for the VW... It is a staple of tuba solo literature and one of the first solos of that caliber written for our instrument. What audition or solo contest would one not find a baroque piece in nature? Or what horn list would one not find a strauss or a mozart on it. The VW is just like those other pieces i mentioned. Like it or not but the VW is here to stay on the lists for auditions. Oh and everyone does know that John Williams told people that his concerto was the worst piece he has ever written. FYI...
James