CANTUS FIRMEST for Tuba Quartet

This piece was commissioned by Jim Self in 2018 for the University of Southern California Bass Tuba Quartet. The group recorded the work professionally in the summer of 2019 (which you're hearing in this video).
The piece also exists in a Tuba and Euphonium Quartet edition which was commission by the University of Kentucky Tuba-Euphonium Studio, which is also available to purchase.

[@chasegallmeier9642]

This is epic! I understand why people keep comissioning brass works from you.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

I try to give some bang for their buck, and deliver the FIRE, musically

[@brianking8080]

I see you mastered the Michael Daughtery composition style - write one lick and call it a day. Nice piece with good energy and enough variation to keep us interested. Keep up the good work.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

haha!! BURN! i agree but that was my objective in writing this piece -- 'try and repeat the same lick while still keeping interest going' I'd give myself a B+/A- on this piece. Thanks for the comment

[@roheryn43]

You somehow got me to like tubas. Beautiful piece!! Congrats!!! Absolutely love it!!

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

Brass players like my music so they keep commissioning more!! haha I'd love to write more String and Woodwind pieces!

[@MrRbjunior83]

Absolutely fantastic work!!

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

thanks! are you a musician?

[@MrRbjunior83]

Anthony O'Toole Yes, I’m composer and orchestrator from Bulgaria. Here is my music. I’ll be glad to share with you

[@MrRbjunior83]

ruclips.net/user/MrRbjunior83

[@brandonjc6695]

Stunning.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

Thanks, Brandon!

[@kazakovfilms]

Hats off! Amazing job

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

Thanks a lot Tim, what instrument do you play?

[@kazakovfilms]

@@AnthonyOTooleMusic I play euphonium, but mainly percussion

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

@@kazakovfilms v cool, I'm a percussionist primarily but i play several other instruments and tuba/euph is one of them too.

[@bassoonist4884]

Tbh, I thought I knew where this was going, but then came measure 13. I was so wrong.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

yeah I wanted to create some contrast from the rest of this piece which is just a runaway freight train of notes and energy. so a nice little chant-like opening

[@LMSSheetMusic]

Very impressive, Anthony. I have to say I love this piece. I wish I could write this well.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

Thanks, Mike! glad you hear you enjoy the piece. it just takes time and consistent effort, if you ever wanna share your work with me hit me up through me website and I'll help you out if you'd like

[@kincaidrabb4379]

Loving this hot dorian jam.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

thanks, basically turn a little chant into a rock-ish piece

[@james_subosits]

I gotta know, do you know what key of tuba each part was played on? I figure it's mostly higher tubas but I can't quite figure it out yet.

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

this performance was all on F tubas! but you could use CC/Bb horns on the two lower parts just for fatter low notes

[@james_subosits]

@@AnthonyOTooleMusic Really? Wow, that's interesting. I'm assuming you intended to write for those instruments, right? Or maybe you had to make adjustments?

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

@@james_subosits yeah the quartet all play F or Eb tubas for as long as the group has existed at USC. That's why it's called the USC 'Bass' Tuba quartet, no contrabass tubas like BBb or CC

[@quinnouyang6050]

is that the licc in measure 12...

[@AnthonyOTooleMusic]

close but nah, if it went up one more note to E then it would be the licc, good ear though!