Posted by Mark Heter on October 14, 2003 at 01:41:46:
Elsewhere on this BBS some fellow posters seemed to be a little shocked to find out guys made a living with a sousaphone. Also, the recurring CC v BBb discussion, ad nauseam.
First, about the old timers:
This is like comparing old basball players' stats to today's players in today's game - an apples and oranges comparison. (The season's longer, the uniforms aren't made of wool anymore, the designated hitter, the number of stitches in the ball, the type of cord inside the ball, the type of wood the bat is made of, blah blah blah)
If you examine photos from the 1920s and 30s of American symphony orchestras, and orchestras which appeared on radio and recording, you will find many bell front tubas and sousaphones in use, most of them in BBb. Why? Because these guys did band gigs throughout the summer, and split their symphony off time playing circus, rodeos, polka bands, dance bands, and whatever else came over the phone. Most symphony/opera/ballet orchestras gigs were not "year 'round" jobs until the 1960s; the idea of a tuba player equipped to exclusively play one job throughout the year is a fairly recent (and depressing to me - I like variety) development. Back when Bell was in the NY Phil., the season probably lasted all of 36 weeks - which is why he had a Martin to play in the Goldman Band, and played his Eb King in the Asbury Park Band all summer long later on. Bell probably got most of his horns "gratis" - White probably gave him every King horn he played (and he should have!) Other guys most likely had the scratch for ONE horn, and if their town's symphony "season" lasted eight weeks, a good sousaphone was a pretty practical horn to have around!
Now, about the "which is better?" nonsense:
In the days when tuba players had more prospects for work in a music BUSINESS, the focus was on lining up the work. Now, that there is precious little work to had, we seem to be obsessing over the equipment.
I can't remember Henry Mancini, Pee Wee Erwin, Paul Lavalle or Ray Bloch ever asking me what key my tuba was built in. They were more interested in the right notes, dynamics, phrasing, solid "changes" and time. I played for all of them (and many more) on a BBb King. Other guys played for them on CCs. So what?
Nobody cares about this but other tuba players. If you don't believe me, ask any violinist what key he/she thinks the tuba is built in. They don't know, and they could care less. They probably aren't even sure of the RANGE of a tuba. What they know is we all (the brass) play too loudly....
I believe the "favorable fingering" argument is bogus for the big horns. If you find a really nice CC that you sound good on, play it. Same for BBb. There are an equal number of pieces that finger lousy for both horns. There are plenty of pieces that don't "lay" on any known instrument; it's YOUR problem, and you WILL surmount it or be passed over in favor of someone who CAN finger it. There's a lot to be said for playing high parts (esp ophicleide parts) on high horns (timbre) - once again, either Eb or F seems to do the trick, neither one to the exclusion of the other. I'm willing to bet that in the "old days" some parts were dropped 8va, too.
Getting back to the post about sousaphones in orchestras - OF COURSE some of the old timers played in orchestras on sousaphones. They made it work. Union scale was probably $40 a week back in the 1920s - if a cornet was $50, a new tuba was probably $225. You could buy a Model T for that. Look at the photos - you'll probably see guys with Bb trumpets, and trombones without F attachments on the first two chairs. Maybe even single F horns - who knows?
One of my musician friend's son has been told to "get a CC" if he wishes to be admitted to a certain local state college music program - as an Ed major. The kid sounds fine on a BBb he already owns, and family money is tight. His dad doubles bass and tuba, and is upset that his son is faced with this kind of ultimatum. My advice? RENT the CC, crack the audition, get admitted, and then play your own horn. Slapping this kind of crap on parents - on top of tuition increases - ought to be hanging offense. Just shows you where the CC v BBb BS can lead.