Historical
outline of individual instruments
Brass
Tuba
19th century
- A relatively new instrument,
the tuba developed during the 1820’s and 1830’s.
- In 1827, Stölzel
created a new type of valve called the Berliner-Pumpe, which could
be used on wide bore instruments.
- However, the first
practical application of the new valve on a low brass instrument,
the Bass-Tuba in F, occurred in 1835. Prussian bandmaster Wilhelm
Wieprecht and instrument maker J.G. Mortiz adapted the valve created
by Stölzel; they called their variant the Stecherbüchsen-Ventil.
This instrument differed from the modern-day tuba, but shared certain
similar characteristics: (1) It was pitched in F, which became a
standard pitch of orchestral tubas; (2) it had five valves to lower
the pitch; (3) it could be played to the fundamental or pedal notes;
(4) and it was made of brass with silver fittings.
- In 1835, instrument
makers in German-speaking countries started making rotary valves
instead of Berliner-Pumpen.
- During the 1840’s,
Graves & Co. of Winchester, New Hampshire started making tubas
in different sizes.
- In 1845, the first
contrabass tubas in C and Bb were made.
- While the tuba was
welcomed into German bands and orchestras, other countries accepted
tubas more slowly, especially in Britain and France where the ophicleide
was more widely played. (The ophicleide is a large, metal, keyed
instrument with a brass instrument mouthpiece).
- Between 1863 and 1887,
symphony orchestras in England gradually accepted tubas, even though
musicians still played the ophicleide until the end of the century.
- Berlioz was the first
major French composer to orchestrate for the tuba. He started to
substitute the tuba for the ophicleide in almost all of his scores.
- Wagner, Mahler, and
Strauss wrote solo passages for tuba in their orchestral works.
- By the late 19th century,
the F tuba became standard in symphony orchestras in England. Many
British tuba players were quite skilled, and so English composers
wrote some virtuosic parts for the tuba.
20th century
- During the 1940’s,
the C contrabass tuba became standard in orchestral use in the United
States.
- By the end of the 20th
century, the C contrabass tuba was used more often in England as
an alternative to the EEb tuba (or bass tuba in Eb).
- Some French composers
wrote passages for a smaller C tuba with 6 valves and a four-octave
range.
Orchestra-History
Early
History • Classical
period • Romantic
period • 20th
century to present
Repertoire
Classical
period • Romantic period
• 20th century to present
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