[Project] Tuba: Bruckner No. 7 "Adagio"

This week's [Project] Tuba submission is a special one for me. Bruckner's 7th Symphony is absolutely one of my favorite pieces to listen and perform. His 2nd movement is probably one of my favorite pieces of music ever. The slow buildup, the lush harmonies, the somber undertone with a hint of hope I think is incredibly poignant for our current state of the world. This particular arrangement is done by the amazing Jay Friedman, and masterfully reduces the 25 minute work down to about 6 minutes. I adapted this for tuba quartet, trying to retain as much of the original orchestral contrabass tuba part as possible.

I deeply miss playing in an orchestra, and by no means should this feel like a replacement for the masterpiece that is Bruckner No. 7. I look forward to a day I can join musicians on stage and play this masterwork again. Being able to do projects like this help fill a void in my heart, albeit temporarily.

The idea of dedications can feel a little cliche in a Covid world deserving of many, many dedications for those who have passed. That being said, the passing of Howard Johnson and Toby Hanks, both on the same day really hit hard for the tuba/music community. Thank you both for your artistrity, humanity, love for the art form, and inspiration for so many artists who directly influenced me. The beautiful thing about music is that their legend will never die...their recordings, teaching, and love will live through all of us.

I really hope this piece will offer healing to a country in pain. I share this video as an offering of hope and peace for our future, which I think is much needed right now.

Видео [Project] Tuba: Bruckner No. 7 "Adagio" канала Derek Fenstermacher