Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Contra-Octave in band playing


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Posted by Chuck on May 04, 2001 at 16:18:58:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Contra-Octave in band playing posted by Carl on May 04, 2001 at 15:35:41:

Thanks for the facts. I didn't realize that there was that much overlap. Sorry for my misunderstanding.

Well, with all this being said, why is it then that so many performances use the non-intended lower octave? Simply ego or what?

You've probably heard the story that I'm going to paraphrase poorly (the original can be found in _Song_&_Wind_, written by the esteemed Mr. Fredericksen.
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CSO under Solti had performed the Fantastic Symphony and was then recording it. The tubas has been amazingly forceful and exciting in the concerts but were not miked well for the recording session. Mr. Jacobs told his second tuba (I'm not going to try to remember who!) to save the volume because it wasn't going to be heard anyway. They backed off, Solti told them to play like they did at the concert and he asked the recording tech to put a mic on them. They blasted away after the changes had been made. The tech listening to the playback said, "Maestro, I cannot hear the bassoons." Solti replied, "I don't care. I want to hear the tubas!"
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How do so many conductors come to this or similar conclusions even though Berlioz so clearly intended otherwise?


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