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Hello friends,

Just got a new part to play in the wind band and ... I'm troubled.

For the context, it's a wind band arrangement of "Galop Infernal" from Offenbach's "Orphée aux enfers".
I can play the notes (low Bb to high Eb) because I'm playing an Eb tuba, but I'm not sure of the relevance of the octave of the high notes.
On the Bb-transposed "contrabass tuba" part, it's the same.

Would you play it that high, or 8vb ?

I see that range in Eb brass band parts, but asking that of a contrabass would be unusual.

Personally.. I would be more worried by the major 7th jump Eb3-D4.. Than about the Eb4..

I would play it as written on a BBb or Eb. Then when the conductor asks what the hell was that racket.. play it 8vb.

As a Brass Band player - who obviously doesn’t play to MA’s high standard - I won’t get music with that run down from the high Eb, it’d be given to the Euphonium player. What’s written is certainly playable by a three valve Eb and likely intended to be, as the full range of the instrument is used, but intended to be by someone who has limited, if any, brass playing experience.

If it were me I’d stick a slightly smaller mouthpiece in my Tuba and practice my high range, that high Eb should ‘pop out’ just fine. If, after practise, you struggle then go 8vb. If in doubt then go 8vb in the rehearsals and only change things if the Conductor questions things, and it might well be that those high notes are (also) covered by other parts of the brass section (so play an octave below them rather than in unison).

imho expecting someone to play that Eb on a CC or BBb tuba would be daft, but some folk would think nothing of playing it.

If that's originally a wind band piece (perhaps a very old wind band transcription of an orchestral work... I'm not stopping to do any research here), that could be part of an old French tuba part...as Offenbach was a French composer.
You probably already know this, but those particular instruments were actually smaller than modern-day euphoniums, though the length of modern-day huge C tubas.

If others have those lines with you - such as euphoniums, bassoons, baritone sax, etc. - and that passage is challenging for you, I wouldn't worry about it, and I would probably take that passage down an octave and not get too carried away with the loudness.

gocsick wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 9:18 am Personally.. I would be more worried by the major 7th jump Eb3-D4.. Than about the Eb4..

I would play it as written on a BBb or Eb. Then when the conductor asks what the hell was that racket.. play it 8vb.

Down the octave, play under the trumpets and horns. If given the side eye, look towards those people.

@bloke there is no tuba in the original, the orchestration was the following:
- 2 flutes
- 1 oboe
- 2 clarinets
- 1 bassoon
- 2 horns
- 2 cornets
- 1 trombone
- percussions
- chords

I will see at next rehearsal where it fits in the orchestration, but from all the versions I can hear online, it is played down an octave by the contrabass tuba.

The question is not "can I", but it really is "should I", and the answer is probably "play it down an ocatve".

I'm sure you can.
If any player can play that fairly lightly on whatever tuba they own, it's fine to leave it where it is, yes?

Depends, maybe it's an arrangement error.

@Schlitzz the conductor did not notice when I used my bass trombone on one tune at last rehearsal, not sure he will notice a high tuba note

That looks like the "Can Can" movement (which is the second half of the "galop", actually). It is down the octave (and in D major) in the original tuba part in the orchestra. That part is actually a bit of a mess, looking like several parts cobbled together. And I am not sure that all the notes are correct, as I cannot see the rest of the part. If you can post the whole part, I can check it quickly. (I have this pretty much memorized after playing it about ten times a year for kiddie shows for the last 33 years. It is a "thin" part. I have to spell the bass bone by ear in one spot, or he dies while I vegetate.)

My guess would be the arranger copied from a low wind or reed on the orchestration and forgot to transpose 8vb after the second ending sign.

I would take everything after the second ending 8vb

@the elephant check your MP.

@russiantuba not until the end, but for a few measures, yes.

Where is Charlie Vernon's one-page treatise, when we really need it?

bloke wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 1:04 pm Where is Charlie Vernon's one-page treatise, when we really need it?

I'm missing the reference there, can you elaborate?

If it was written before 1870 or it's French, play as written. If it's written after 2010 and it's American, play as written. If it sounds bad, tell the conductor to complain to the composers.

the elephant wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 11:08 am That looks like the "Can Can" movement (which is the second half of the "galop", actually). It is down the octave (and in D major) in the original tuba part in the orchestra. That part is actually a bit of a mess, looking like several parts cobbled together. And I am not sure that all the notes are correct, as I cannot see the rest of the part. If you can post the whole part, I can check it quickly. (I have this pretty much memorized after playing it about ten times a year for kiddie shows for the last 33 years. It is a "thin" part. I have to spell the bass bone by ear in one spot, or he dies while I vegetate.)

Can Can dancers are thin, Wade.

Schlitzz wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 2:45 pmCan Can dancers are thin, Wade.

Not the ones at Six Flags…

I will refrain from specifying which Six Flags location to spare the "heftier" skirt-wavers…

claf wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 1:26 pm

bloke wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 1:04 pm Where is Charlie Vernon's one-page treatise, when we really need it?

I'm missing the reference there, can you elaborate?

juvenile coarse humor, which is way more true than funny - describing some symphonic low brass players attitudes

the elephant wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 2:51 pm

Schlitzz wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2026 2:45 pmCan Can dancers are thin, Wade.

Not the ones at Six Flags…

I will refrain from specifying which Six Flags location to spare the "heftier" skirt-wavers…