Euphonia, Euphonium, Euphonious.

No this is not going to be a Latin lesson, but it may turn into a bit of a rant, or indeed as it is Saturday it could be a Weekend Wobbly.   As has been made clear more a few times I am a musician, my weapons of choice are the Bass Trombone and Tuba, I also have a Euphonium, that in theory I can play, but from choice do not ~ I am not a Euphonium player, they are a separate breed show offs who love to be in the lime light playing big complicated show off parts, I prefer sitting at the bottom going umpah!

This is my lovely CC contra bass tuba, it is big and it is clever, it is shinny and makes a big warm dark sound, this is the sound that makes so much orchestra music work, Symphony Fantastique, Finlandia, Scheherezade, almost anything by Tchaikovsky indeed almost all music written since around 1890, on the other hand I can only think of two major orchestral works that call for a Euphonium Bydlo from Pictures at an Exhibition and The Planets.

On the other hand this is my Euphonium, the first difference you will note is that teh Euphonium is out of focus! it is also dull both of these are a reflection of how I play the instrument, it is clearly different to my tuba, it is simpler and much smaller.

So, if you ever see me, or indeed anyone else carrying, holding or playing a tuba, please please, please, at risk of your own life do not call it a bloody Euphoium!

There is a new orchestra in town, The London Euphonia Orchestra, as they are still finding their feet they have not yet developed a consistent Brass section, Paula will be playing Bass Trombone with them at their next concert.   This will make second "Civilian" orchestra that I will have played with, so far everybody I have meet in teh music world has been fully accepting, and basically don't care how I present as long as A/ I am presentable and don't smell and B/ more importantly can play my part.

As with the LGSO ~ next concert 13th April ~ I will be playing the Bass Trombone so I will have to do  some serious practice. Tonight I will be playing the Bass Tuba at a wind band concert in Biggin Hill I will not be playing Euphonium but I still plan to make a euphonious noise, after that I have nothing booked on Tuba for a while, so a little like diets, that practice will have to start tomorrow.