Posted by Mark S. on June 15, 2003 at 13:59:04:
In Reply to: use of F tubas in Europe posted by Winton on June 14, 2003 at 10:43:27:
Therer is alot of tradition for tradition's sake in Europe. For the most part, I would say the F tuba has its srongest hold on western Europe. The BBb is at home in many parts of Germany and eastern Europe and the Scandinavian countries use CC tuba as well. This is by no means exactly concrete for these parts of the world, but it gives you a general idea. The F tuba has only became the tuba of choice in France in recent history, as opposed the more traditional French C tuba. I think the F tuba is firmly rooted in western Europe because Berlioz and the Wieprect tuba. His wholehearted adoption of it when the Romantice era was just taking off, placed the F tuba as the replacement for the serpent and opheidclide. As with everything in music, this lacked consitantly. While Wagner and others were discovering the contrabass tuba, others were just beginning to use the Wieprect bass tuba in F. I think Vienna still uses something close!!