Althouse: His is bigger than Bill's.

May 24, 2008

His is bigger than Bill's.

10 comments:

rhhardin said...: The didgeridoo beats it, speaking musically. See 1:40

Better video coverof the same thing. See 1:01.; 5/24/08, 9:18 AM
Kev said...: Coolness. As a saxophonist who specialized in the baritone sax in college, I've always wanted to play a "contra." (I'll eventually own all of them, from sopranino to contrabass, once the funds are in order. I'd even like to have a tubax, possibly sooner than the other ones because of its relative ease of carrying.)

I'm primarily a jazz guy now, but I did get the chance to play bass sax (a toy, compared to the contra) on this recording.

As for Marcel on the video, he sort of stuck with the safe low-end type of tunes; I'd love to see him tackle some Charlie Parker or John Coltrane on that thing (although his articulation style on "The Addams Family" leads me to believe that he's primarily a classical guy).

If you're a fan of music in this range, check out this clip of a guy playing "Stardust" on the tubax, with big band accompaniment.; 5/24/08, 12:34 PM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: It's really not bigger. He's Mini-me.

And that first number, "Once Upon a Dream" from the Disney animated "Sleeping Beauty" will never be the same again.; 5/24/08, 1:20 PM
Unknown said...: And here I had thought all along that the contrabassoon had the most obnoxious timbre of any instrument. Thanks for showing me the error of my ways.

BTW, Ruth Anne, all the music in Disney's Sleeping Beauty is derived from Chaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet score (Op. 66, 1889), including the Waltz the guy on the video is playing.; 5/24/08, 1:28 PM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: Jeffrey: Sorry. I'm having Disney spells.; 5/24/08, 2:22 PM
cardeblu said...: Throughout school, I played the clarinet, then bass clarinet, and finally the Eb contrabass clarinet as a senior in HS many, many years ago. Note: She doesn't start playing until about 1:20. Like the girl in the video, I absolutely loved it--mainly because there was only one in the band, and I sat back with our one bari-sax, a few tubas and other extremely low-pitched instruments. Although we usually played the most boring parts of pieces (rhythm mainly), boy could we make the ground and chairs vibrate. I really miss that resonance and am seriously thinking about taking up some form of bagpipes--not the Great Highland ones, but the more quieter, inside ones.; 5/24/08, 2:38 PM
John Burgess said...: Cardeblu: I'd suggest the Irish pipes if you're into using the whole scale. North Umbrian, Small Pipes, and the like are more like the Highland Pipes (or bugles!) in that they only play partial scales in a given register.

Save your pennies, though... they're not cheap. Well, there are cheap ones, but they sound it, too.; 5/24/08, 7:25 PM
blake said...: Heh.

Do you know why bagpipers walk while they play?

They're trying to get away from the sound!; 5/25/08, 2:42 AM
cardeblu said...: John Burgess: Irish pipes as in Uilleann pipes? A very pretty penny indeed for a full set--even the practice one. It's really scary looking, too, and is bellows only.

I was thinking more along the lines of these practice pipes. Cheap? Yes, but I would much rather find out I can't handle playing something like that at a greatly reduced cost. Also, I know that the mouth blowing really doesn't coincide with the playing, but it would seem more natural to do that instead of bellows alone.

Blake: Lol! However, I find this apropos to this Memorial Day weekend. Though not a very good quality video to be sure, it makes my heart swell and takes my breath away especially around 1:08.

If anything, I just want the drone. In fact, I need the drone...; 5/25/08, 2:39 PM
blake said...: Ah, who doesn't love an extended pedal point?; 5/25/08, 8:03 PM