Why I hate John Fletcher

Well, maybe not quite true, John Fletcher was the finest Tuba player of his generation, and maybe since the instrument was invented. He didn't bequeath us some significant innovation in our machinery - like the Helleberg mouthpiece named after the principle tuba player in the Sousa band, neither did he innovate in how we learn to play and technique, like Arnold Jacobs. He just did it better than anyone else around. Follow this link, listen and see (or rather hear) what I mean, http://www.johnfletcher-tuba.co.uk/Resources/flight.html

So why do "I hate John Fletcher", well he did ruin the classic Boosey & Hawkes Imperial model EEb Tuba by introducing the big bell, but no it's not that, and on the occasions that he heard me play he was very complimentary and helpful, so it's not that. I always found him very friendly, helpful, and enthusiastic, he started and led the Tuba Christmas parties in London and was evangelistic about our instrument, so it's not that. No Fletch was the first Tuba virtuoso whose recordings became mainstream, non tuba players listened to what he did - and liked it. The trouble is they then expected us all to be able to the same., AND WE CAN'T http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK58EE5b4qc well I

There are many very fine players around now, the current generation have brought our instrument into the solo field and extended the repertoire, with players such as Walter Hilgers, Sam Piliafin, Jim Gourlay and so many others around we all have the opportunity to hear great soloists playing great solos - but Fletch was first.

Finally a quote from some old programme notes I found

Before John Fletcher the reputation of the tuba as a musical instrument was not altogether grand. It was considered almost entirely as a bass instrument for the brass section of bands and orchestras. Any use of the tuba in a solo capacity was normally in order to gain a laugh.
John Fletcher changed all that by treating the instrument as a vehicle for his remarkable musical talents and establishing that it was after all capable of expressive and technical virtuosity. It was, in his hands, capable of producing the whole gamut of musical expression. His special talent though was not so much what he could do technically but how to use his ability to master the instrument in the service of the music. He had no time for empty flamboyance but loved to provide just the right sound and style for whatever music he was playing.

As a teacher he hated pomposity and avoided the ‘master-class’ situation. He preferred to explore the instrument with his students, avoiding quick-fix answers in favour of discussion of the possibilities. He always managed to present his views with humour and gave the impression that he was gaining as much from the sessions as his students were.
Whenever possible he like to demonstrate through enjoyable performance.

It is still relatively unusual as a tuba player to get to play many "tunes", but certainly the parts I get to play - especially in contemporary wind band music - are so much more interesting than they were, in no small part thanks to Fletch