Re: Re: Re: Re: Euphonium cutting


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Posted by Klaus on May 10, 2002 at 20:24:22:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Euphonium cutting posted by Chuck(G) on May 10, 2002 at 19:23:12:

"My suspicion is that the catalog entry exists, but little else."

Would not have been the first time in brass advertising history!

Around 1980 much of my playing was from treble clef in C. I could do that on tenor trombone and baritone, which were my only two brass instruments back then. But I had put my eyes on the C/Bb convertible valve trombone being announced by B&H back then. The Danish retailers could tell nothing about that instrument. But a former bandmate, who had set up some bush level imports through the supplier for the Brit army bands in Germany, could find out, that the prototype pictured in the B&H catalogue was the one and only sample ever made.

Apparently the Brit market for valve trombones was too small. And that even if the best valve trombonist I ever heard was a London pro (playing King of course), who was a member of Don Lusher's 8 trombone plus rhythm group plus Don himself soloing on a King 2B, that I heard in Royal Albert Hall back in 1978. On bass tromb nobody less than Ray Premru of the LSO and the PJB.

Back in 1964 in Cheltenham I saw a British Legion band composed of very small boys doing a drill display at a big military show. Lots of trumpets, some valve trombones and two sousas in Eb and BBb. And no other brasses or winds.

But the valve trombone has one great obstacle in England: it is not allowed in brass band competitions. In an odd way that is part of the Brit sense for sportsmanship.

The Brit brass band has 3 main soloists: cornet, euph, and trombone. At big competitions, there is a prize for the best soloist in each category.

Around 1870 at a national level competition the mandatory piece as then usual was an operatic selection. When Black Dyke was on the stage their solo euph played so well, that he later was awarded the prize for best in his category. Nobody saw any problems in that.

But when the solo trombone winner was called on the stage none of the adjudicators were suspicious about him coming from the same band. Until the solo eupher reentered the stage. After playing his euph solo, he had picked up a valve trombone to do the trombone solo. Despite the respect for the musicianship of that player, no-one wanted that situation repeated. Hence the valve trombone was ruled dead in the British brass band. (My source as in a lot of brass band matters is the great Geoffrey Brand, who I have had the pleasure to meet at several occasions).

Of course this is a gross digression from the original thread. Hopefully my hang to tell samples from the history of brasses is accepted.

Klaus


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