Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Willson 3050 vs. B&S PT6


[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ TubeNet BBS ] [ FAQ ]

Posted by John Swensen on May 30, 2000 at 14:11:51:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Willson 3050 vs. B&S PT6 posted by A guy in CA on May 30, 2000 at 01:00:19:

Peter plays a Holton 6/4 CC, a PT-6, and an Alex F. He played the Holton when he did Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev), and he played the Alex and the Holton when he joined Floyd for the Rite of Spring last year. He carries all three horns to most Bay Brass gigs.

Floyd plays a Nirschl 6/4, a PT-6, a big Yamaha F, an Alex F, a B&S PT-15 F, and one or two horns I don't know about. Last year I saw him play the PT-6 for Zvezdoliki (Stravinski's "King of the Stars" for male chorus and orchestra), and then he switched to the B&S F and another F (I coudn't tell which from my seat) for the Rite of Spring.

The PT-6 plays and sounds quite a bit different than either the Nirschl or the Holton; slurs are almost liquid with the PT-6's rotary valves, and the tone color is smoother and, maybe, blends a bit more than the York-style horns. The Holton and Nirschl have that characteristic, "Yorky", sound and weight, and slurred notes tend to pop out. I think the Holton and Nirschl are more fun to play, but the PT-6 is easier to make music on, if that makes any sense.

For what it's worth, I play a (piston) PT-6P, which has more core and weight to its sound than the PT-6, but is not as smooth. If I could justify a Nirschl, I would probably get a PT-6, instead of the PT-6P. Professionals playing the PT-6P include Zachariah Spellman of the San Francisco Opera Orchestra and Bob Tucci of (one of) the Munich Opera Companies.


Follow Ups: