Dear Brass Bulletin,

I am about to relate a series of events that culminates with cross referencing an article read in an earlier Brass Bulletin. An article that not only validates the events, but sets the stage for further events in their regard.

In about 1995, I was approached by a member of the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra with an unusual gift. This man, a Kontrabassist who had been then retired from the orchestra for quite some time and since deceased, used to bring a Moritz Eb Basstuba on occasion to orchestra rehearsals to show it to different folks who might be interested. I, as a collector of older and "historic" tubas, was always interested in that Moritz tuba, but his response to my request to jokingly "put it in his will to me" was always met with the retort: "I have something much better for you".

He had for my early years with the orchestra been the Bassist occupying the "last" seat in the section, in his case nearly as close to me as the Bass Trombonist in proximity, and nearly so dear a colleague. We were the mutual benefators of each other's jokes and "pranks" over the years, and there was quite a void when he retired. On this particular day, some years after his retirement, he had me come out to his car to get something from him. As he had retired from tuba playing quite a few years before retiring from Bass playing, and I had been the beneficiary of his generosity on previously, having recieved mouthpieces, music, and other tuba related items from him on several different occasions.

This time, however, was different - he had me take an ancient looking Helicon out of the trunk of his car, and began to tell me how it came to be in his possession. "I guess you know I was a Supply Sargent in World War Two." he began. "During my hitch I was in a great position to send back old instruments to the States, and I did it every chance I got."

He was well known for his formidable collection of French, Czech, and German Basses, and the whole picture began to materialize. Some of the instrumnts had been gifts from grateful citizens, recently liberated, while others had been purchased from those whose sole equity might have been "Grandpa's old bass" during a time when food or anything of value wasn't easily obtained.

"The War was in it's final stages, and the American Army was surging east through France. In the case of this Helikon, "We (the American Army) were moving as fast as we could to keep up with the German retreat. We passed through towns and cities at such a pace, that I can't even identify the City it came from."

However possible, someone had heard of this American officer, a collector of Basses and Tubas, and a small party (Including the Mayor of this city!) came forward to "present" him with a "Liberation Present". It was a Helikon, and it was said to have spent nearly 50 years in the basement of their Opera House. It was kept there by a former "Intendant" and had a long - standing reputation as being the Kontrabass Tuba used to premier the "Ring" operas of Wagner in Germany, brought to France as a "momento" of the Theater Directors earlier life.

At the time, "these "Presenters" were no too fond of the Germans and their culture, and even went so far as to agree on it's status as a "cursed object". At this point in his presentation to me, I remarked to my collegue on the Helikon's shape, and made some referance to "the curse of the Ring" at which point his reaction was to turn white rather than react as if my humour had "gotten" him again. It seemd that he had come to put some stock in the French presenters "premonition" during the 50 or so years he had kept it.

"This is not an ordinary piece of plumbing" he said "Think hard about what it represents." I did. Or at least I thought I did. I thought the notion of a Helikon (a military marching instrument) premiering the "Ring" was pretty absurd. Until I read an article in BRASS BULLETIN some five years later; an artice that fit together with my friend's account like a jigsaw puzzle in confirming that the Helikon hanging safely in my basement is indeed what it was purported to be: the first "Ring kontrabasstuba"" the "Holy Grail" of Kontrabass tubas. The last thing my friend said in this Helikon's regard was "I know you'll do what's right with it,"

I have had it for over 10 years now, and whether it is cursed or whether it brings luck, I'm not sure, but I have my premonitions, and they are what has kept me from giving it up until now. I've become wealthy beyond my wildest expectations (that's pretty modest, for one playing tuba), and I lead a life filled with performances of beautiful music played with good people. Three of "my" orchestras have obtained new halls in this time, the most notable being in my "hometown" and the fourth boasts a renovation of an already historic site. All have wonderful acoustics that will insure that I will be able to play into an advanced age, being particularly "tuba friendly".

If this instrument IS "lucky" for some or "cursed" for others, I can only speculate, but one thing I DO know is that it is time for it to return home to it's "rightful place". My old Bass collegue was well aware of my "grounding" as the youngest member of Germany's Nuremberg Philharmonic in 1974. In the short time I spent in Germany, I learned my craft well, The patterns set when you first break away from your parents and home generally follow you through life, and I still sometimes find myself searching for a word in English that has popped up in my head as a thought in German. My Bass collegue saw me use the F Basstuba in situations and for pieces that no American would dream of doing, and was aware that when I played a "big" tuba, that the BBb tuba had become my instrument of choice, dispite having studied and played CC tuba for years.

* My own history of what I've experienced now seems somehow significant to this point in time. After the International "fall from grace" the United States has experienced through blind trust (and even the reelection) of a leader, and the pointless war he has created, some specter of the past arises and some comparison (however mild) seeems in order. Perhaps in February (irregardless of who should win the US presidency) we can begin anew. *

For me in my small world, the return of this Helikon to Germany to the German National Museum, a museum connected with the Festspielhaus in Bayreuth or even perhaps better yet, to be presented directly to the members of the Deutsche Tuba Forum seems timely and appropriate. I look forward to the time, and hopefully "we" can get the ball rolling.