Re: Re: Seating Question


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Posted by Barry Guerrero on September 05, 2001 at 14:15:07:

In Reply to: Re: Seating Question posted by Rick on September 05, 2001 at 09:52:52:

Using one tuba and and a euphonium is not, IMHO, anything to complain about. I saw Muti/Philadelphia use that very same solution in a live performance. When Berlioz wrote the work, tubas were much smaller and thus, much less powerful. The famous Dies Irae (last movement) is actually scored for two tubas in the upper octave, and four bassoons in the lower octave - surely that must give you some clue as to what Berlioz was truly dealing with. Much of the tessitura of Symphonie Fantastique is actually quite high, and a euphonium will be able to take that infamous, fast *triplet* lick in the last movement on up to the high Bb (and not suddenly jump down to the lower octave). Also, a euphonium will be able to negotiate the C-natural arpeggio at the very end of the work, much easier than a contrabass tuba could (a basstuba would be a different issue, I suppose).

For what it's worth,

Barry Guerrero


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