Originally Posted by
bbocaner
eh, the right repertoire where the composer knows what they are doing muted euphonium can be really effective. I can think of several recent brass band test pieces where euphonium mutes, especially cup and bucket mutes are used to really excellent effect to get amazing textures and timbres you just couldn't achieve any other way.
I can imagine this, but haven't actually heard it myself. The few times I've heard pieces with muted tuba sounded contrived -- not to mention the whole project of getting the mute into the tuba and then getting it out again without banging it on the tuba, a nearby tuba, a chair, the floor, etc. At least a euphonium mute is easier to handle.
Perhaps the proper approach to the use of a tuba mute should be a more military one -- like a crew-served mortar.
Gary Merrill
Wessex EEb Bass tuba (DW 3XL or 2XL)
Mack Brass Compensating Euph (DE N106, Euph J, J9 euph)
Amati Oval Euph (DE 104, Euph J, J6 euph)
1924 Buescher 3-valve Eb tuba (with std US receiver), Kelly 25
Schiller American Heritage 7B clone bass trombone (DE LB K/K10/112/14 Lexan, Brass Ark MV50R)
1947 Olds "Standard" trombone (Olds #3)