Talk:Cimbasso

Use
Someone might want to add that it is used in Verdi's Requiem. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.201.178.3 (talk • contribs) 11:31, 8 June 2008 (UTC)

Etymology
More than most brass instruments, the cimbasso deserves an etymology section I think... the tortured history of the term is covered in detail in both the Meucci article and Bevan's The Tuba Family tome. I hope to do this in the next day or two. — Jon (talk) 00:40, 15 February 2022 (UTC)

Construction section
A TODO to self/others, requires more refs/checking. The construction section (dealing with the modern instrument) can have more details about physical characteristics and measurements, e.g. bore & bell diameters, mouthpiece receivers, etc. A bit about the F vs. the bigger CC and BB♭ instruments, still made. Since they're usually played by tuba players (particularly in the US), there has been some demand for a bigger instrument with a more "conical feel" in tension with Verdi's intended trombone-like cylindrical bore sound. This made some manufacturers cater to both needs, for example Červený manufacture two cimbassi in F: the CVT 576-51C with a 0.598" bore and 10" bell, presumably aimed at a bass trombonist since it's listed in the "Valve trombones" section of their catalogue, and the CFC 652-5I with a tuba-like bore of 0.717" and larger 11" bell with much wider flare, listed with the tubas. More detail about valves; mostly built with rotary valves, Haag no longer make the 5-Hagmann cimbasso (Why? I emailed Fabian, he said that tuba players complained that the valves were too slow); yet Mattis Cederberg loves his one!* Pistons valves are uncommon; that said, British cimbasso maker Mike Johnson uses the piston valve compensation system common in British band tubas to make compensating four-valve models, and "double" models in compensating E♭ (the 4th valve providing the low B♭, and the compensation dispensing with the need for a 5th valve). It might be worthwhile (or at least fun) to mention that LA tubist Jim Self had a euphonium-like compact design of F cimbasso built from a Yamaha F tuba, which was somewhat inevitably christened the "Jimbasso". — Jon (talk) 01:58, 15 August 2022 (UTC) Jon (talk) 01:58, 15 August 2022 (UTC)

More digging
For §Repertoire and Performance, we need a bit more about modern use of cimbasso in orchestras by tuba players, and its use instead of the tuba; here's Roger Bobo from c. 2007 on the now defunct tubanews.com website. There's also two doctoral theses about performance practice and pedagogy, Constantino 2010, and Peterson 2018 which includes interviews with Jim Self and Doug Tornquist. There's also the stellar work of Jack Adler-McKean at RSNM on the early history of the tuba; a PhD thesis, and his historical performance practice excerpts on YouTube, including the serpent, early cimbasso, ophicleide (keyed and valved), and a trombone basso Verdi, recorded for his book, The Techniques of Tuba Playing. — Jon (talk) 23:29, 17 May 2023 (UTC)