Looking to hear recordings that have a Rudy 3/4 CC on them. I love mine, and am really curious to hear more examples of them being played in various settings. Any favorites?
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Fri Jul 17, 2026 8:11 am
by Casca Grossa
Probably not as exposed as you are looking for, but this is a recording I did way back in the day. Two tuba players with me on a 3/4 Rudy and the other player was using an HB 21.
Charlie Villarubia used the "3/4" Rudi CC on the Dallas Brass Christmas CD. In fact, he used it throughout his time with Dallas Brass. I asked him. He later switched to a Yamaha 822 F for Rhythm & Brass.
I sold one of those new, was later paid to add a factory fifth rotor to it (though the fifth rotor from the factory didn't quite match the others. LOL), and then not too many years ago was asked to buy it back when the person I sold it to was in a really stressful situation.
The amount of money they asked me to pay was very low.
Because it was such a small amount, I turned them down, but they insisted and explained that I would be doing them a favor.
... so I bought it.
It was a good tuba, but it was in the cracks between other tubas that I owned at the time (too much overlap whereby I probably would never have used it) so I sold it.
Even though I marked it up a great deal above what I paid, apparently the price I asked was still way too low, because another dealer bought it from me.
Knowing that those bells crease when you do little more than look at them, I packed the holy hell out the carton when I shipped it. Of course, it suffered a bell crease in shipment anyway. (I doubt if those bells are annealed.)
Of the three sizes of C instruments, (unlike what one might assume) I have found that the largest one usually plays the best in tune, this size we are discussing is second best, and the medium size one is quite troublesome (sorry, middle size RM C owners).
I've owned and used all three, so I believe I have a right to speak.
To speak in favor of the one of which I like the least, I was runner up to a reasonably good paying 35 week job using that instrument at the audition, and it wasn't the tuba's fault that I wasn't chosen... 100% my own fault...
... The job became vacant again a year later, and I was offered either a spot in the semi-finals or the finals (can't remember what the letter said that they mailed to me), and I decided to not go back and audition again. The vibe just wasn't right. Sure enough, a few years later they were shuttered.
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2026 6:48 pm
by jtuba
Didn't Pat Landolfi use one in the NJ Symphony before Derek Fenstermacher? If so, track down old Macal/NJSO recordings on Delos. Check on the streaming services if they have those recordings
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2026 8:05 pm
by tubacorbin
Great, thank you all!
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2026 5:14 pm
by Matthew Gaunt
I love the Rudy 3/4!
Did two of the Burning River Brass albums on one:
Of Knights and Castles, and Classical Impressions
Also used for three Proteus 7 albums: Bernstein Tribute, Cha Cha Lounge, and Dracula
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Sun Jul 19, 2026 9:52 pm
by bort2.0
Matthew Gaunt wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2026 5:14 pm
I love the Rudy 3/4!
I think every Rudy 3/4 in America has been owned (or at least played) by you.
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2026 5:19 am
by Timswisstuba
Sam Pilafian recorded the 1st Empire Brass recording "Baroque Brass" on a 3/4 Rudy Meinl. (around 1979 I think).
You should listen to the Bach Art of the Fugue on the last track of side 1. Listening to that would be enough to convince anyone to play a 3/4 Rudy Meinl.
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 5:25 pm
by tubacorbin
Matthew Gaunt wrote: Sun Jul 19, 2026 5:14 pm
I love the Rudy 3/4!
Did two of the Burning River Brass albums on one:
Of Knights and Castles, and Classical Impressions
Also used for three Proteus 7 albums: Bernstein Tribute, Cha Cha Lounge, and Dracula
Found two of the Proteus 7 albums on Apple Music, thank you! Awesome playing and sound, I’ve had these on repeat. Looking into ordering the Burning River Brass albums too.
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2026 6:01 pm
by Sbg
Ron Bishop was very proud of the Boulez/Cleveland Orchestra recording of Petrouschka. He used his Rudi for the solo.
Re: Recordings of Rudy 3/4 CC
Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2026 11:30 am
by tubacorbin
Timswisstuba wrote: Mon Jul 20, 2026 5:19 am
Sam Pilafian recorded the 1st Empire Brass recording "Baroque Brass" on a 3/4 Rudy Meinl. (around 1979 I think).
You should listen to the Bach Art of the Fugue on the last track of side 1. Listening to that would be enough to convince anyone to play a 3/4 Rudy Meinl.
This is one of my very favorite albums. I had no idea this was done on a Rudy, great to know.
