[Trombone-l] Chinese bass trumpets? (Neeme wants to know)

[George Butler]

Howdy Y'all,



Well, I'm in Pärnu, Estonia these days--the Baltic Riviera--watching
Neeme and Paavo work with young conducting "students" at the annual
course that they've been doing here for the past eight years or
so.  It's just great, my annual refresher on how to be
musical.  It's sort of like attending quarterback camp with
Archie, Payton, and Eli.  



This year's course may be the last, as Neeme can get a better orchestra
for the students to work with in The Hague, in the Netherlands. 
More money, and money talks.  (Lucky Tim Dowling.)  



Anyway, I usually keep a low profile here, sneaking in the back door
the past five years, all to avoid having to pay an auditor's fee. 
(My salary here is about one fifth of a Texas school band
director's.  Tee, hee!)  



But, yesterday I got up the nerve to show The Guys the new Chinese alto
trombone that I took delivery on last week.  They were
impressed.  They like the sound.  



I told them about my "business plan," which is to buy a half a dozen of
these to loan to my incoming class of ten-year-olds in September. 
At the end of two years, the kids will buy their own tenor, if they
want to continue, and the six altos will be loaned to the next class...



Paavo concurs.  "Yeah, you're right, there aren't that many good
trombonists in this country."  The tradition here has always been
about choral singing, composition, with some string playing and
piano.  Not bands, like in Texas.



I tell them the price on the alto.  They are amazed.  What's
the price of the German original, they want to know.  And, the
price for a Yamaha?  Wow.



Daughter Marika Järvi, a flute soloist, is there as well.  "Yes,
the Chinese flutes are surprisingly good too," she tells us.



Neeme asks why I'm not teaching at the Muusikakademia?  



Well, Maestro, Muusikakademia only has one trombone major at the
moment.  And, the new principal trombonist with ERSO--the national
symphony in Tallinn--is doing a good job teaching that one student.



Me?  I want to start a big class of ten-year-old beginners every
year, and see what happens.  (SOMEBODY's gotta do the heavy
lifting!  Might as well be me.)  



I'll start my third year in September, and I am SO tired of these
fifty-year-old Soviet Army alto peck horns and baritones that my kids
have to use.  (Our trumpet teacher has told me that the
"tradition" here is to start kids on valves.  But somehow, the
intent to change them to a slide  later just doesn't get followed
up on.)



Anyway, if you're still with me:  Neeme wants to know, does this
Chinese maker make a bass trumpet?  Is there a Chinese version of
the Dotzauer available?



"Because," he continues, "bass trumpet very, very important in
Wagner.  And, 'Rite of Spring.'  Very, very important. 
Very, very important.  Young players MUST LEARN these important
parts, because VERY, VERY important.  Especially Wagner. 
Especially Stravinsky."



Now, you'd think that the New Jersey S.O., or the Residentie Orchestra
in The Hague, or the New Japan Philharmonic, or the Detroit Symphony,
or the Göteborg Symphony, or the Cincinnati S.O. would have the money
to buy whatever they need.  But, Maestro Neeme thinks it is VERY
IMPORTANT for aspiring orchestral players to learn Wagner.  And
Stravinsky.  "Very Important," he repeats.  Should be a part
of the audition process, so get your own horn, he thinks.



Now, I DO apologize if the answer to Neeme's question has been recently
covered.  I seem to recall Eric Swanson asking if the current
batch of Chinese valved instruments are an improvement over those of
the previous generation.  Something about valve tolerances being
tougher to get right than getting tubing for slides parallel.



Any suggestions on inexpensive bass trumpets?  (Because, Neeme wants to know.)



George Butler

Tromboon Õpetaja

Lasnamäe Muusikakool

Tallinn, Estonia