tracks

Sonatina For 2 Tubas - Allegretto
Sonatina For 2 Tubas - Andante
Sonatina For 2 Tubas - March
Sonatina For 2 Tubas - Andante Sostenuto
Sonatina For 2 Tubas - Non Allegro
3 Morgenstern Songs - Die Trichter
3 Morgenstern Songs - Das Knie
3 Morgenstern Songs - Das Mondschaf
Suite Of 3 Pieces For Euphoniums
Suite Of 3 Pieces For Euphoniums
Suite Of 3 Pieces For Euphoniums
Five Allegories On The Banks Of The Nile - I
Five Allegories On The Banks Of The Nile - II
Five Allegories On The Banks Of The Nile - III
Five Allegories On The Banks Of The Nile - IV
Five Allegories On The Banks Of The Nile - V
2nd Sonatina For 2 Tubas - Fanfare
2nd Sonatina For 2 Tubas - Arpeggio Cantabile
2nd Sonatina For 2 Tubas - Theme And 5 Variations
2nd Sonatina For 2 Tubas - Fanfare 2
Symphony For Organ And 6 Tubas - I
Symphony For Organ And 6 Tubas - II
Symphony For Organ And 6 Tubas - III
Symphony For Organ And 6 Tubas - IV
Symphony For Organ And 6 Tubas - V

notes

All Compositions by John White

Produced by Jay Rozen
I, II, IV Recorded 2011 at OZ Studios, London, England
III Recorded at Suburban Hermit Studios II, Stony Brook, NY - Engineer: John Tabacco
VI Recorded at Indimusic TV, Ronkonkoma, NY - Engineer: Mike Avitable

Personnel:
Euphoniums (i.e. Tenor Tubas): Don Sherman and Kevin Mecchella
Bass Tubas: Jay Rozen, John Elliot, Melvyn Poore, Jeff Furman
Baritone Voice: Lynton Black
Organ: John White

I. {1}-{5} Sonatina For 2 Tubas (1964)
Allegratto - Andante - March - Andante Sostenuto - Non Allegro

II. {6}-{8} 3 Morgenstern Songs (2 Tubas and Baritone Voice) (1964?)
Text by Christian Morgenstern (1871-1914)
I. Die Trichter (The Funnels) / 1st Chime
II. Das Knie (The Knee) / 2nd Chime
III. Das Mondschaf The Moonsheep) / 3rd Chime

III. {9}-{11} Suite Of 3 Pieces For 2 Euphoniums (1967)
1. Steady & Vigorous
2. Slow But With Movement
3. As Fast As Conveniently Possible

IV. {12}-{16} Five Allegories On The Banks Of The Nile (Tuba Trio) (2011)

V. {17}-{20} 2nd Sonatina For 2 Tubas (1965)
Fanfare - Arpeggio Cantabile - Theme & 5 Variations - Fanfare

VI. {21}-{25} Symphony For Organ And 6 Tubas (1965)
1. Allegro Sostunato (4 Bass Tubas)
2. Allegretto (2 Euphoniums And Organ)
3. Allegretto (4 Bass Tubas)
4. Andantino (Organ Solo)
5. Andante Con Moto Ma Sereno (2 Euphoniums, 4 Bass Tubas)

How it came to be:
Every so often you read a book that changes your life. For me, as a musician, it was Michael Nyman's EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC: CAGE AND BEYOND, for that was the first time I was exposed to the music of the English Experimentalists. This eclectic group of composers include Cornelius Cardew and his cohorts, among them John Tilbury, Howard Skempton, Christopher Hobbs, Michael Parsons, Hugh Shrapnel, Dave Smith and John White. It was Nyman's mention of White's Cello & Tuba Machine that really got my attention. Nyman wrote that the piece could last up to 6 hours (!). As a seeker of more unusual tuba music, I simply had to have it! Fast forward nine years. All efforts to contact Mr. White had thus far been unsuccessful, so I decided to go to London myself to seek out his music. Unfortunately, Mr. White was out of town during the week I was there, but I did visit Hugh Shrapnel, Christopher Hobbs, and Michael Hobbs gave me a number of Mr. White's tuba/piano pieces (some of which I later recorded with Vern Nelson on my CD KILLER TUBA SONGS. Mr. Parsons, however, gave me the holy grail, the Cello & Tuba Machine! Later on, Dave Smith sent me some more of Mr. White's tuba music, all of which is on the recording.

Of all the myriad stacks of music piled up around my house, it seems Mr. White's was always on or near the top. I decided it was time to record this material. And where better to record this music than London, where Mr. White lived? My good friend John Elliot, a very busy freelance tubist who also lived in London, made all the arrangements. Melvyn Poore, an English tubist who currently lives in Cologne and with who I played in the European Tuba Quartet, also agreed to participate. Mr White offered to play the organ of his Symphony for Organ and Six Tubas and to write a new piece for the project. I suggested a trio for myself and my two friends. The result was Five Allegories on the Banks of The Nile for three tubas, which we are proud to premier.

Acknowledgements: Dave Smith, who sent me the music on this recording.
London Help: Les Lake, Geraldine O'Reilly, Andy Kershaw and especially John Elliot, who organized the recording sessions.
My girls, Michele (wife) and Rita (daughter), who accompanied me to London.
For their support:
John Tabacco, Engineer supreme. For his studio magic.
Engineers Jon Rosenberg and Josh Golden.
All the brilliant musicians who played on this recording.
John White for his music.

credits

Composed By – John White
Engineer – Mike Avitable
Engineer, Mastered By – John Tabacco
Producer, Performer – Jay Rozen

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