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Thread: generally, what range is expected from the euphonium in community band type music?

  1. #1

    generally, what range is expected from the euphonium in community band type music?

    i am a tuba player masquerading as a euphoniumist... i'm having a LOT of fun learning to play it though. especially the marches where i double the trumpet parts or high wood wind parts.

    right now the G above the staff is the highest i have, so i've been practicing up to the next Bb to make sure i'm able to play the G when i need to. i don't have any problem with low register, of course...

    i'm curious what is normally expected for a euphonium player?

  2. #2
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    About 4 octaves above where you are now. (Pause) Okay, just kidding. Sort of depends. Pros and really good players will probably want to and be able to go almost an octave above the 3rd ledger line G concert. The high F above high concert Bb comes to mind. Not everyone can play up to that note, and for those that can play that note, not everyone can play it well. So you are in very good company if you can play perhaps only up to the high concert Bb or a little beyond. I would say if you could play the high C or Db above high concert Bb, that should just about cover you for most any concert band literature, even the more difficult grades/pieces. And for many, many euphonium solos. And for those euphonium solos that have really high notes, many times there are alternative lower notes for those not wanting or able to play extremely high.

    The best parts of playing marches on euphonium, in my opinion, are usually when the euphonium has counter melodies. Or the melody (ALONE!!!!!) in the trios without some infernal trumpet or clarinet player playing along. Doubling the trumpets or other non-brass instruments is not the most fun part for me, in case you couldn't tell, but as you are learning the euphonium, that might be really useful now.

    Good luck in your euphonium playing. Be careful, the euphonium is addicting, and your tuba may start getting dusty!!
    John Morgan
    The U.S. Army Band (Pershing's Own) 1971-1976
    Adams E3 Custom Series Euphonium, 1956 B&H Imperial Euphonium,
    1973 F. E. Olds & Son Studio Model T-31 Baritone
    Adams TB1 Tenor Trombone, Yamaha YBL-822G Bass Trombone
    Year Round Except Summer:
    Kingdom of the Sun (KOS) Concert Band, Ocala, FL (Euphonium)
    KOS Brass Quintet (Trombone, Euphonium)
    Summer Only:
    Rapid City Municipal Band, Rapid City, SD (Euphonium)
    Rapid City New Horizons Band (Euphonium)

  3. #3
    uh oh... that's a little higher than i was thinking, but maybe i'll get there... that's about where i am on tuba... i'm pretty solid up to the F above the staff and can get to the next Bb if i need to, but it may not sound as good as it should. i can squeak out higher pitches with a little embouchure manipulation.

    if we get to play more tunes like this, i'll be excited about euphonium. i've been somewhat bored with the community bands (i play in 3) music level so far. i have lots of fun visiting with the other tubas in the bands (some us are in all 3) and we have a little quartet that plays at the concerts once in a while. and there's a quintet that does a few gigs like weddings once in a while... so i'm very happy to see something a little more challenging.

    i've been working out of an old arban tuba book that has the Eb tuba part written in. that has helped and i have a copy of the melodious etude trombone book.

    i do an hour on euphonium, rest for abt 15 minutes and then do an hour on tuba. playing euphonium has helped my tuba, firming up the embouchure corners and with articulation. there's not room for sloppiness in the euphonium that i've been getting away with on the tuba.

    i started out on an old holton 185 3 valve horn built somewhere in the 50's. it looks like its been in a train wreck but it plays very well. i went to a little conn short stemmed 20I, that i liked, but i couldn't produce the sound i had in my head. i bought a king 2280 with a larger bore and bigger mouthpiece and i'm getting closer to what i want to hear. i'd rather have a front action so i'm saving my $ for one of the wessex front action euphs. but i may get used to top action and stay with what i have.

    i'm also thinking that i'm quickly getting to the age where lugging around 50 lbs of tuba ( i weighed my king 2431 in the case... it was about 50 lbs) will get difficult, so the euphonium is an alternative... and in the bands i'm in, there's always a chair for another euphonium... there seems to be lots of tubas, but not many REAL euphoniums.

  4. #4
    If you just want to enjoy playing in a concert band, it's not quite so bad. Much of the repertoire will be happy if you have a concert G, BUT many marches, including Stars & Stripes Forever, have a Bb. That appears twice in the breakup strain. I think Hands Across the Sea also would like a Bb, but it is only a single note. As John said, though, you can get by taking a lick down an octave now & then. If you don't have a high Bb, I'm betting most bands would still be more than happy to have you join if you play solidly otherwise (and maybe even if not!).
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
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  5. #5
    Most pieces in the "community band" repertoire will not go below F2 (just below the bass clef staff) or above Ab4 (three ledger lines above bass clef staff). As Dave mentioned, some marches will go up to the Bb above that, but in most (if not all) cases, you could bring that down an octave if needed.

    Just for fun, the highest and lowest notes I have encountered in the band euphonium rep are an Eb5 in Kevin Houben's "The Lost Labyrinth" and a Bb1 (pedal Bb) in Grainger's "Children's March".
    University of Miami - BM Euphonium Performance '21
    Indiana University - MM Bass Trombone and Euphonium Performance '24



    Besson Prestige 2052S
    Courtois 551BHRA
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    Various Greg Black mouthpieces

  6. Quote Originally Posted by JasonDonnelly View Post
    Most pieces in the "community band" repertoire will not go below F2 (just below the bass clef staff) or above Ab4 (three ledger lines above bass clef staff). As Dave mentioned, some marches will go up to the Bb above that, but in most (if not all) cases, you could bring that down an octave if needed.

    Just for fun, the highest and lowest notes I have encountered in the band euphonium rep are an Eb5 in Kevin Houben's "The Lost Labyrinth" and a Bb1 (pedal Bb) in Grainger's "Children's March".
    As another tuba player "masquerading" as a euph player, I concur: generally F below the staff to Ab three ledger lines and a space above the staff. Famously, "Stars and Stripes Forever," which we play every Independence day for the regional community observances, has both: the F below the staff in the first strain, and goes up to the Bb 4 ledger lines above the staff in the dogfight (or, in transposed treble clef notation for those who play such, written G below the treble clef to written Bb or C above the treble clef). And yes, if it is at the end of a long outdoor concert, I will take that high Bb down an octave, as well as the F below the staff up an octave in order to center the next phrase properly.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  7. #7
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    A lot of bands play Holst Suite no. 2 in 'F' which gets down to low concert 'C' (4-1-3) and lots of low 'F's (4). We're playing this great piece for our first concert series. Some great euphonium solos for sure. Since it's public domain you can look at your part here:
    Scroll down to pg 31 for euphonium part
    Rick Floyd
    Miraphone 5050 - Warburton BJ / RF mpc
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    "Always play with a good tone, never louder than lovely, never softer than supported." - author unknown.
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    (John Zdechlik)

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by RickF View Post
    A lot of bands play Holst Suite no. 2 in 'F' which gets down to low concert 'C' (4-1-3) and lots of low 'F's (4).
    Thanks, Rick. I'd forgotten those notes (it's been a while)! However, it is only a few bars, and those double the tubas, so playing up an octave would be fine. But now I have to remember that one for future discussions about range, because it is certainly a staple of the repertoire.
    Dave Werden (ASCAP)
    Euphonium Soloist, U.S. Coast Guard Band, retired
    Adams Artist (Adams E3)
    Alliance Mouthpiece (DC3)
    YouTube: dwerden
    Facebook: davewerden
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  9. #9
    thanks for the parts... i've played the tuba part to S&SF and holst several times. i've never seen the S&SF euph part. i should practice that, i'm sure i'll run into it before long. a lot of the holst is in the tuba part...

    i'm pretty confident up to Bb above middle C and i'm ok in the low register, just not much flexibility down there yet. my lips feel like they're sticking to the inside of the mouthpiece, but i'm practicing out of an old arban tuba book that has an Eb and BBb part written. i do both octaves...

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by RickF View Post
    A lot of bands play Holst Suite no. 2 in 'F' which gets down to low concert 'C' (4-1-3) and lots of low 'F's (4).
    On more than one occasion, I've wondered if someone at Boosey & Hawkes either nudged Holst into writing those notes or simply added them to the printed version to spur sales of their compensating euphoniums. Holst, by and large, was a very careful orchestrator who tended not to push instruments into extreme ranges. But in both the Second Suite and the two movements of the Planets put out by Boosey for band, there are notes only playable on a 4-valve euphonium.
    Adrian L. Quince
    Composer, Conductor, Euphoniumist
    www.adrianquince.com

    Kanstul 976 - SM4U

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