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Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 19:00:30 -0400
From: "farfl's house" <farfl@idirect.ca>
Subject: Tarogatos
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 1999 20:52:33 -0700
From: "tubadave@jps.net" <tubadave@jps.net>
Subject: Tarogato's
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comTarogato's
I would like to buy one. I sure as heck don't want to pay $2700 for the
one at "Lark in the Morning".
Anybody got any leads to the where-a-bouts of them?tubadave@jps.net
There's a fellow here in town that makes wonderful tarogatos that would
run you about $1800.00 He'll do little customizations on them, too!
E-mail me for more details if you wish.
Regards,
Steven---------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 19:15:05 -0400
From: Gerald Corey <jerrylv@magi.com>
Subject: Re:
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comHello Bret (et al).. Well, you tickled my fancy this time! I understand that you
are impressed by the grandiosity of things.. this is a valuable asset for the
young and not so young. But I would like to point you to a brilliant piece of
literature by a superb former master musician, Sir Thomas Beecham. In his
exceptionally funny autobiography is my favorite chapter. First of all, the
autobiography is entitled, "A Mingled Chime" (already a clue to its contentular
splenditude). The chapter in question is titled "Apollo and the Seaman" This is
a real tour de force 19th century monstrosity piece which Beecham performed (the
world premiere). The chapter I love has to do with the fact that Butterfield,
the composer (or was it another English minorpiece composer, I am not certain)
called for a part with a solo passage written for it -- to be played by a bass
Sarrusophone. None was present in England or a player familiar with its keywork.
However, through letter transmission (the old substitute for today's "e-mail"..
he learned that there was an aged frenchman who was highly experienced in
playing the bass Sarrusophone and that this player would be available for the
world premiere performance of "Apollo and the Seaman" - provided that his
passage across the English channel, full acommodation in a fine hotel, a
splendid salary and spending money were all provided. The rest of the chapter
explains the unusual outcome to this entire project.. one which I am sure you
will enjoy knowing about (just read the book) before you add a part for the same
instrument to your coming symphony. Best wishes to you, both in composition and
in maintaining your vision under presssure. Sincerely yours, Gerald CoreyBret Newton wrote:
> I completly understand that the composition professor was kidding, but with
> the size of the composition that I am doing it would be just a drop in the
> bucket if I added a sarrusophone or two. As for the other instruments:
> contrabassoon-2, wagner tubas-4, flugelhorns-4 etc... This really isn't a
> proformable work with a total of 350 proformers (possibly more), and most of
> those in a large double choir. The point is I just want to write a
> composition that pushes the limit of anything previously done before. One
> might understand my ambition a little more if they knew that I am only 17,
> and love the grandiosness of things. All i really want to know is if a
> sarrusophone would make a valuable addition to an already oversized
> composition.
> Bret Newton---------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 19:19:36 -0400
From: Robert Howe <arehow@vgernet.net>
Subject: Der Heckelphone: Ein kleine faggot, o ein gross oboe?
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comBret Newton wrote:
> Why group the hecklephone with bassoons?
> Bret NewtonSeveral reasons. First, the bassoon choir otherwise lacks a treble
member, and the H-phone can comfortably play to G atop the treble staff.Second, acoustically it is NOT an oboe, the bore is much too wide. For
that matter, it is not a bassoon, either, but who's quibbling?Third, writing as a novice Heckelphonist who also plays a mean bass
oboe, the H-phone sounds more like a bassoon and the bass oboe, like an
oboe.Fourth, many H-phone players are bassoonists and use a bassoon reed.
Fifth, the bass oboe occupies the niche in the oboe choir that the
H-phone would otherwise take. The redundancy is not needed.Finally, how's about that name? Heckel invented the H-phone and his
father, the modern bassoon.Please, let's capitalize the initial letters in Heckelphone, Saxophone,
Rothophone, Sarrusophone, Sousaphone etc, as an homage to the named
person.Robert Howe
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 19:28:51 -0400
From: Robert Howe <arehow@vgernet.net>
Subject: Re: Rothophones
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comGrant Green wrote:
> >What exactly is a rotophone?
> >-Mike
> The rothophone is another conical-bore double reed instrument, invented and
> popular in Italy to compete with the saxophone. However, whereas
> sarrusophones are folded up like bassoons and contras, rothophones are
> folded exactly like saxophones. They tend to look like anorexic
> saxophones, having a narrower bore. They are even more rare than
> sarrusophones. I don't know if they have any differences in fingering
> between sarrusophones or saxes. Robert, you have a few don't you? Care to
> expand?
I am happy to do so, I have SAT Rothophones, (and SBCb Sarrusophones).
Grant has nailed the truth in his description, they look exactly like
anorectic Saxophones. They were made for the American market in the
early 20 century by Roth, later Bottali, later Orsi of Milano. They
play with an agreeable buzz and are a lot of fun, but are hard to take
seriously. The fingering system is that of a simplified Saxophone,
lacking many of the alternate side keys. Ranges are from written B or
Bb to Eb or F.The only real difference between a Rothophone and a Sarrusophone is in
the folding. As such, the Sopranos of these species, which are
straight, are essentially identical. My S Sarrusophone was made to
special order (not ordered by me) and is marked "R1032", which I presume
is Orsi's abbreviation for "Rothophone 1032". But I may well be wrong.No, I will not sell one, nor lend one. You are welcome to visit and see
them, however. They are rare and expensive. Mine were several K$
each. A baritone, which is very, very rare, sold at Sotheby's for 6000
GBP (about 11 K$ after commission) in November 1998. I was out of the
bidding at half of that. A bass is known to have been on the company's
catalog but no known specimens exist.Robert Howe
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 19:35:01 -0400
From: Robert Howe <arehow@vgernet.net>
Subject: Re: High heckelphones
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comGrant Green wrote:
> The piccolo heckelphone is pitched in F, an octave above the english horn
> (i.e., a fourth above the oboe). Seventeen were built, the last of which
> was made in 1916. I think there *are* a few works written for them (or
> including them).WHERE did you get these data? I read in some orchestration book (or
was it in Baines?) once that the F piccolo Heckelphone was used for the
picc trumpet part in the second Brandenberg.Robert Howe
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 19:36:12 -0400
From: Robert Howe <arehow@vgernet.net>
Subject: Re: Tarogatos
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comfarfl's house wrote:
> There's a fellow here in town that makes wonderful tarogatos that would
> run you about $1800.00 He'll do little customizations on them, too!What town is this? Specifics, please?
RObert Howe
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 20:09:55 -0400
From: Robert Howe <arehow@vgernet.net>
Subject: Re: Apollo and the Seaman
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com"Apollo and the Seaman" is by Joseph Holbrook. See Forsyth's
Orchestration text, as reprinted by Dover, for a precis of Beecham's
comments.Robert Howe
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 16:45:58 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Re: Apollo
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com>splenditude). The chapter in question is titled "Apollo and the Seaman" This is
>a real tour de force 19th century monstrosity piece which Beecham performed (the
>world premiere). The chapter I love has to do with the fact that Butterfield,
>the composer (or was it another English minorpiece composer, I am not certain)
>called for a part with a solo passage written for it -- to be played by a bass
>Sarrusophone. None was present in England or a player familiar with its
>keywork.I believe the composer is Holbrooke. Has anyone ever run across a
recording of the work?BTW, I'd be happy to play bass, tenor, or contrabass sarrusophone - as long
as the performance (and any rehearsals) are within 50 miles of home ;-)Grant
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant Green gdgreen@contrabass.com
http://www.contrabass.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
---------------------------------------------------------Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 17:09:35 -0700
From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
Subject: Re: High heckelphones
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com>> The piccolo heckelphone is pitched in F, an octave above the english horn
>> (i.e., a fourth above the oboe). Seventeen were built, the last of which
>> was made in 1916. I think there *are* a few works written for them (or
>> including them).
>
> WHERE did you get these data? I read in some orchestration book (or
>was it in Baines?) once that the F piccolo Heckelphone was used for the
>picc trumpet part in the second Brandenberg.Data as to the number of instruments is courtesy of W. Heckel in Biebrich:
data as to works calling for piccolo heckelphone is from, if I remember
right, Francis Firth.Grant
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant Green gdgreen@contrabass.com
http://www.contrabass.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
---------------------------------------------------------From: Bret Newton <jbnbsn99@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: Help
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 1999 13:33:23 PDT
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comBe glad that you only have one crack. I just found the 7th crack on my
bassoon!
Bret
---------------------------------------------------------
From: "Bret Newton" <jbnbsn99@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Apollo
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 10:01:12 PDT
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com
>From: Grant Green <gdgreen@contrabass.com>
>Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com
>To: contrabass@mail.contrabass.com
>Subject: Re: Apollo
>Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 16:45:58 -0700
>
> >splenditude). The chapter in question is titled "Apollo and the Seaman" This is
> >a real tour de force 19th century monstrosity piece which Beecham performed (the
> >world premiere). The chapter I love has to do with the fact that Butterfield,
> >the composer (or was it another English minorpiece composer, I am not certain)
> >called for a part with a solo passage written for it -- to be played by a bass
> >Sarrusophone. None was present in England or a player familiar with its
> >keywork.
>
>I believe the composer is Holbrooke. Has anyone ever run across a
>recording of the work?
>
>BTW, I'd be happy to play bass, tenor, or contrabass sarrusophone - as long
>as the performance (and any rehearsals) are within 50 miles of home ;-)
>
>GrantI would be more than pleased if anyone would play if it ever got proformed.
Since i live in Texas it might be a little more than 50 miles from
California. Please ignore the message about the cracks. I don't know what
happened there I sent it months ago.
Bret Newton---------------------------------------------------------
From: Opusnandy@aol.com
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 13:35:50 EDT
Subject: Re: [Contra digest]
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comIn a message dated 7/18/99 9:14:29 AM, joel@mmedia.is writes:
<< I've finally got my hands on a beutiful coiled Leblanc contrabass clarinet with
a great Selmer D mouthpiece. Everything works fine, except I'm having trouble
with the notes above high C. Are there any special fingerings for those? Does
anyone have fingering suggestions for multiphonics on the big horn? Are
there any neck- or shoulder straps made for the coiled cbcl? >>Check out "Altissimo Register Fingerings for the Contrabass Clarinet." from
the May/June 1991 issue of The Clarinet. Pages 30-31, by Terje Lerstad.
---------------------------------------------------------From: "Aaron Rabushka" <arabushk@cowtown.net>
Subject: Re: Apollo
Date: Fri, 23 Jul 1999 14:34:08 -0500
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.comWhen we had to bring a bass flautist from Prague to Zlín to record my op. 15
all of the travel expensed only came to US $115. Not too bad.Aaron J. Rabushka
arabushk@cowtown.net
http://www.cowtown.net/users/arabushk/
---------------------------------------------------------
From: RBobo123@aol.com
Date: Sat, 24 Jul 1999 17:22:54 EDT
Subject: Re: RE: Help
Reply-To: contrabass@contrabass.com>I just found the 7th crack on my
>bassoon!Wow! You only have 7! Mine looks like the last guy used it as a baseball
bat. And the sad thing is that my friend gets the one thats worse
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