Posted by Roger Lewis on May 13, 2003 at 07:14:43:
In Reply to: Non-brass music for practice? posted by Dragomir on May 10, 2003 at 13:57:07:
I have an inherent dislike for much of the tuba music out there. I find it condescending and boring, and as someone else mentioned, too predictable. I love the cello suites by Bach, with the self challenge of making them sound as smooth as Yo Yo Ma would - anyone can "pound" through them but to play them with ease and finesse is the challenge. Remember - the good players make the hard stuff look hard; the great players make the hard stuff look simple.
The Bach violin Sonatas are excellent and a particular favorite of mine is the CPE Bach A minor unaccompanied flute sonata. The Schroeder 80 cello studies makes a great book for expanding your view of what the instrument (person) is capable of making happen and the Storch/Hrabe double bass etudes (gee, through a typo I just invented a new word - Eturds). The Mendelsohn cello concerto is quite reachable. I also use the Trumpet version of the Arban book, but I don't stop when the ink runs out.
Up on the soapbox for a moment - Why is it that the people who write/arrange these books determine that a trumpet player can't play above an A above the staff? And why do people who play these books (for the most part) stop where the book stops? As tuba musicians we have an incredible range, shouldn't we exercise all of it? The Clarke Technical studie number 2 - you can go at least another octave up and at least a 4th below? Do we?
Off the soap box - have a great day.
Roger