View Full Version : For all Baritone players.......
In one of her postings, Gorgeous-Bari-player said she played a 1927 instrument.
Have you ever seen;
A Baritone the shape of a Sousaphone ?
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk/Ukbari.htm
A Baritone played over your head ?
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk/Usabari.htm
An upright Baritone with rotary valves ?
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk/usabari2.htm
Have fun.
BoozyBTrom
07.03.2003, 11:20
Crikey!!!!!!
i never knew the Barking iron had such a large family tree.
i knew they must have been all inbred to get them to sound like that!!
I like the fact that it says "New" in front of the Olds bell front 3 valve baritone Talk about contradiction! :P :P
gorgeous_bari!_player
09.03.2003, 18:19
i was really impressed - a some one started a thread cos of little old me :D
i like the bari that plays like a sausaphone.
ill have 2 try and get a picture of mine on here - it doesn't look different 2 most other baris ive seen - but i hav neva seen the engraving b4.
Pythagoras
10.03.2003, 23:38
i knew they must have been all inbred to get them to sound like that!!
What do Baritone's sound like? I've yet te hear them and I sit next to them (mind you that could be the BBFlats fault).
You do realise of course that the Brass Band is their last resting place !
Where else will you hear such an individual sound ? Not a French Horn, Tenor Horn or small Euphonium but its very own timbre.
They have long gone from wind bands as well.
How long do we have to wait before they have their day ? I thought it was coming when Carol Crompton used to be featured with Desford but it did not last long.
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk
PeterBale
11.03.2003, 08:55
I wouldn't be too disheartened over the fate of the baritone, as there are still a number of bands featuring baritone solos on their programmes. The International Staff Band of the Salvation Army has featured their first baritone, Simon Birkett, on a number of occasions very succesfully. When they played The Holy War a year or so ago, the atmosphere was electric when he played the solo within the piece, and he was the first player acknowledged at the end. He has also appeared at the Northern Brass Arts Festival at Bridgewater Hall.
I think one of the problems can be selecting suitable solo items, so that the baritone is able to shine without forcing the tone to overcome an unsympathetic accompaniment. Also, there are still too many players who try to make it sound like a euphonium, rather than relish in its own distinctive timbre which Charlie referred to.
Spot on Peter,
My mind goes back to that amazing pair who were at Dyke for what seemed like a century, John Slinger & Colin Hardy.
Their sound in the performance of 'Wayfarer' and other Dyke winners is stunning. The I.S.B. is one of my favourite bands and again I agree that the euph / bari section is something else.
Players should not be shy about borrowing euph solos, providing they use their own sound and style as you say, hopefully this will then give way to more original solos coming through.
What happened to the guy at Leyland who was promoting his own solo career (can't remember his name).
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk
Mrs Fruity
11.03.2003, 15:46
I think Peter Christian had (perhaps has??) a fab sound on the bari
BoozyBTrom
11.03.2003, 16:11
Brian Till ex Frickley was a great baritone player.
Terry Jennings was at Stanshawe (later Sun Life) with me, in fact, I think he was there from day 1 ?
The year he decided to hang up his baritone, they won the British Open !
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk
Nice to hear a few people sticking up for the baritone! I must say, as someone who was given it to play as a 10 year old beginner, I have never had any regrets. I have done a spell on solo trom and also played euph for a bit, but the trom parts had too many rests and I didn't like sharing a part on euph!
As to the instruments themselves, I remain convinced that the designers don't spend much time in developing them. To get somewhere like reasonable intonation, there is so much cross fingering required - I would be interested to know if the instrument Gorgeous Bari Player has is better in tune than the modern ones!
gorgeous_bari!_player
11.03.2003, 19:35
I would be interested to know if the instrument Gorgeous Bari Player has is better in tune than the modern ones!
it has a really nice sound, i prefer it to the other ones in the band.
im not to good with knowledge around instrements - but i hav noticed things like my valves hardly eva stick - and since it was first tuned at band i hav not had 2 retune it.
It is a really nice instrement 2 play - it has a really nice sound and the sound we produce is really mellow.
I really do love it :D
at the moment i am playing around with some solos but i cant find one i like tht much - the cloest i hav got is "to be a wild rose" but im not to keen on that :?
Has any one got any suggestions :?:
An excellent choice would be the lovely 'Mavagnwy' arranged by Denzil Stephens and published by him at Sarnia Music.
He has also written 'Rippling Waters' for Baritone, but I don't know what it's like.
There is also the Snell arrangement of Bizet's Flower Song and the Langford Endearing Young Charms, but the band parts are heavily scored on that one.
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk
There are not that many good baritone solos around - as Highams has said all too often the accompaniment is a bit meaty. However, Rutland Water is a great piece (although the horns will not thank you - they have a very lofty part to play), as is Carrickfergus. Both of them start unaccompanied for the first 8 bars or so, which is a considerable test of nerve! Last year I played The Holy Well, which is really written for euph but works well for bari as well. At the moment I am playing I Know Why which I am really enjoying.
I am sure that there must be more out there though...
Stephen Booth was the name I was trying to remember earlier.
Is he still around ? his web page was last updated 2 years ago.
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk
Roger Thorne
12.03.2003, 12:43
Stephen Booth was the name I was trying to remember earlier.
Is he still around ? his web page was last updated 2 years ago.
Is this the same Stephen Booth who conducted Tyldsley Band in the 1st Section at the North West Area last week?
BoozyBTrom
12.03.2003, 15:17
Macushla ( hope thats how its spelt) makes a nice baritone solo
PeterBale
13.03.2003, 17:37
I've just been reading on the BBW web-site about the test piece for the Europeans:- Aubade: Dawn songs of the fabulous birds, by Aagaard-Nilsen. I quote:
"The whole story starts with a Baritone-cadenza that evokes all the sleeping creatures. Very soon they all start to sing their songs in one way or another..."
Maybe we shall have our chance to discover some new stars of the baritone!
Why not go all the way and play the Calon Lan duet with band, it sounds so much more tranquil on Baritones.
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk
gorgeous_bari!_player
14.03.2003, 22:50
Thanxs for all of those - i will look around and see wot i can find :D
Now this is getting silly !
How about this..........
http://www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk/bari2.jpg
at the moment i am playing around with some solos but i cant find one i like tht much - the cloest i hav got is "to be a wild rose" but im not to keen on that :?
Has any one got any suggestions :?:[/quote]
As someone else who has played bari since the start, except my first three weeks on cornet, I love it. It is so distinctive and individual. It is a bit of a shame that there is not more solos written just for bari. I have played to a wild rose which I love but again it is a euph solo! I have played rutland water which is nice but someone needs to write a lovely tune (is their one out there!!).
And to that euph player who has never heard a baritone - Be QUIET!! We get annoyed at times being over blown!! :D :D :D
Check out Denzil Stephen's site at Sarnia Music;
http://www.sarnia-music.com/
He has a number of new solos for baritone.
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk
BBthebaritone
30.03.2003, 22:55
Does anyone else get fed up with the baritones being treated as euphonium wannabes who are just waiting for one of the euphs to drop off the end so that they can move up?
neiltwist
30.03.2003, 23:36
Does anyone else get fed up with the baritones being treated as euphonium wannabes who are just waiting for one of the euphs to drop off the end so that they can move up?
I play bass trombone, and even I get sick! although I know several people who have changed to baritone purposely
As a lifelong baritone player, I am always highly amused at the notion that we are wannabe euphonium players. I can vividly recall a concert where for one reason or another, our 2nd euph player played the 1st baritone part whilst I played horn. She complained afterwards that she had never played so much consistently high music in her life!
Playing baritone is a completely different skill-set to playing euphonium. One of the biggest challenges is always to blend in with which ever other section you are playing with, as well as being able to lift the sound out of the general mix when it is required.
I agree totally, I played the euph part on my bari for about 6 months when I joined the band I am in as that was the only space for me. But I have never wanted to be a Euph player, I am a baritone player through and through and that is where I am happiest. Playing along with various sections and just enjoying myself!! :lol:
satchmo shaz
31.03.2003, 16:48
yeah but sammy t is oooo versatile, playing tromb parts, euph duets et al :wink:
yeah but sammy t is oooo versatile, playing tromb parts, euph duets et al :wink:
Well................ thats us great baritone players for you!!!! :tup :lol:
Hi everyone!
1st Post!
It's good to see the Baritone get a mention!
I must admit the thought of a Euph is always tempting, but I'm told I get a nice natural tone on my Baritone and after reading this thread I'm encouraged to stick with it! My '81 3 Valve Sovereign is going strong - Love its sound! Long live the Barry!
I was just wondering about mouthpieces, what do we all use? It's something I've had a lot of debate in my mind of late, and there doesn't appear to be too much info around. I'm using one of those Steven Mead SMB6's at the moment.
You guys seem great! I think I'm going to enjoy getting to know you all. Glad I stumbled by here! :D
Roger Thorne
05.04.2003, 11:36
Hi Brad,
Welcome to The Mouthpiece.com
Its great to have another member from 'down under'. We look forward to hearing and reading your views and comments.
:wink:
TheMusicMan
05.04.2003, 11:57
Hey Brad - as RT says, it's great to have you onboard from down-under. A BIG welcome from us all here at theMouthPiece.com - I'm sure you'll be made to feel welcome...
Look forward to reading your posts... and do spread the word to your mates yeah... :)
michellegarbutt
13.04.2003, 12:05
I love playing baritone. One of my favorite solos is Donegal Bay. About time the baritone was treated as a solo instrument not just a bumper up for horns or euphs
Correct me if I'm wrong, do we have Steven Booth on board now ?
www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk
blue euph
18.05.2003, 01:02
I did played 2nd baritone for a couple of years with The Brass Band of Minot and a few years ago at the nabba brass band camp which the international music camp (located at the international peace gardens along the north dakota / manitoba border). Baritones do have their unique voice and place. In my experiences, playing baritone parts on euph. in brass bands don't work. I can see how one doesn't know what a baritone sound like even if you sit beside them. I like it when in any given piece, the baritones are doing something by themselves and not doubling the euph or trombones. Also when the euph's and baritones are doing a divisi part together. Is it just me, but is it good luck hearing the baritone section in any brass band recording without cranking up the stereo than quickly turn it down to avoid getting an earful of cornets and trombones.
As for pro baritone players, I am aware of one in my readings, Helen Tyler.
I will say, I prefer euphonium as I am an euphonium player and leave those who want to play baritone, play it but don't expect me to double on it as I don't feel comfortable playing small mouthpieces or know of any mouthpieces which would make doubling back and forth from euph. to baritone feasible with a possilbe exception of the Steven Mead mouthpieces which i haven't played on the small shank ones. Baritones are cool and have their own unique place in brass bands.
I started on baritone and have moved around a lot (not usually through choice). Just last year I managed to get a move back to bari after about three years on solo euph where I asked almost every week to get moved. Everyone seemed to think I was strange for wanting to get off euph and back to bari. I've often found that there is some benefit to spending a while on bari before moving to euph but it does get a tad annoying when it's assumed that if you're on bari it's because you're waiting for a place on euph :x
As for solos, I've had my arm twisted into playing Southern Cross this season, the audience always seemed to like it in the past and it's not overly difficult to play which has got to be a bonus :D
blue euph
12.06.2003, 01:53
Has anybody played or currently playing a Besson BE956 Sovereign Baritone. If so, how does it play esp. the compensating notes. Correct me if I'm wrong, this is the only 4 valve compensating baritone out there.
Correct me if I'm wrong, this is the only 4 valve compensating baritone out there.
You're wrong...I think! :)
Yamaha have one as well. Nice instrument but a bit light IMHO.
blue euph
12.06.2003, 04:01
The yahama 4 baritone YBH621 Baritone Horn is a non compenasting horn. I played one of those before 4 years ago at the NABBA Brass Band Camp which is at the International Music Camp http://www.internationalmusiccamp.com/ The 4th valve is located in a strange spot. I recall being forced to use my middle finger to use the 4th valve.
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