Tuba Concerto - MVSR3029 | Muziek

RUNDEL Solo & Piano No. 10

C Tuba & Piano

Includes:
1. ALLEGRO ASSAI
2. ANDANTINO CANTABILE
3. PRESTISSIMO

The Czech composer Pavel Staněk can today be regarded as the Nestor of Czech wind music. From 1946 to 1951 he studied composition, conducting and double bass at the Prague Conservatory and commenced his artistic career in 1950 in the State Song and Dance Ensemble of the ČSSR, initially as a bass player and a year later as choirmaster. In 1954 he was appointed conductor of the Music Corps of the Ministry of the Interior in Prague (now known as the “Band of the Castle Guard and Police of the Czech Republic”), where he could work with a large wind ensemble for the first time. From 1963 until his retirement in 1990 he held the post of principal conductor of the Radio Orchestra in Ostrava. Appearances as guest conductor took him to many European countries.

Even at an early stage he devoted a significant portion of his extensive oeuvre, which covers all musical forms, to wind music. In this ensemble form he found a fitting language to express in musical terms his sense of rootedness in the immense wealth of song and melody of his Bohemian-Moravian homeland. His deep respect for amateur players and his exact knowledge of the differing abilities of the numerous wind orchestras of his homeland have encouraged the popularity and playability of his works both in professional orchestras as well as in amateur ensembles of all levels.

Staněk composed his three-movement “Tuba Concerto” in the mid-1980s for his son, a tubist at the time. He reveals the instrument’s soft, round full tone without neglecting the virtuoso demands of modern tuba players.

The solo part emerges independently from the orchestra, but also lends it an additional lyrical impetus in structure, movement and impressive carrying power. By means of clever instrumentation and a consideration of the problems of overtones and differential tones the work gains in tonal profundity and character. Staněk has enriched the rather scant repertoire of original solo works for tuba with a masterpiece. He has written the accompaniment both for wind ensemble and for symphonic orchestra. In addition, there exists an accompaniment for piano, so that this “Tuba Concerto” will enjoy many performances on different occasions. In Germany we will often encounter this solo piece in the young musicians’ competition “Jugend musiziert” as well as in the Colleges of Music as a major work in professional tuba training.