Cat No. JM44528
Price £7.50
Composer: Michael Bennett
Categories: SOLOS - Tuba in BC, Michael Bennett Collection

Dedicated to Eddie Paley.
Solo parts included in TC and BC.

In the 1960s Malcolm Arnold wrote a series of unaccompanied fantasies for the trumpet, horn,trombone and tuba. The pieces became very popular with generations of brass players. It was a great pleasure to meet Sir Malcolm a few years before he died  and present him with copies of my Fantasies,  telling him his own compositions were a great influence on me. 

The pioneering work of the late John Fletcher in showing what the tuba could achieve both musically and technically has raised the profile of the instrument enormously in the last forty years. The modern day tuba player has a versatility and range which has attracted many composers to write for the instrument.

The opening theme of the piece goes through various guises, as in the meno mosso,before ending dramatically with a thunderous pedal note. In contrast the Andante is a very peacefull Scottish theme which encompasses the full range of the tuba. The Allegro Vivace, influenced by the French composer Bozza, uses the Burn’s song ‘’ John Anderson my Jo’’ in the middle section. The piece ends with a short recapitulation of the Vivace theme.