Wagner Tubas

Can you explain how the Wagner Tuba differs in usage/sound from the other relevant instruments in the brass section?

Wagner Tubas are really just horns designed for the low register. They are often doubled by horn players, esp. when there's 8 horn players in an orchestra. Wagner has the last four double on Wagner Tubas.

Today, however, they aren't used so much because the regular horns can get those low notes just fine, but they're not as "sweet" or pleasant. Tubas, especially tenor tubas have a very similar sound too and are easier to find and players for. Unless you *know* you can get your hands on Wagner Tuba players, don't write for them.

Once upon a time Richard Wagner was on vacations, in Paris, walking on the street he found an instruments store, full of really cool stuff, saxophones of all sizes, saxhorns from the smallest to the largest, big strange clarinets, small trumpets and more things he didn't even know what they were :o .... he came in, and talked with the beard guy (Adolphe Sax) in the store...

Wagner - "...look, I'm a composer, I write big fat large heavy operas, and for my new opera I would like to have something like smooth horns, like a tuba, but not so low in range, actually like a horn, but more like a tuba, Oh!, and must be played just like the horn because I want the players switch back to horns, and these guys won't learn a different instrument just for that, so must be played like a horn, but sounds like a tuba, because horns become powerful as lower they play, I want it mellow, ...hey!, you're still follow me ?"

Sax - "(scratching his head).... :eyebrow: yeah yeah, I follow.... so, a horn, but like a tuba..... that is played like the horn.. but sounds like tuba.... :hmmm: higher range, like horn..... but.... like a tuba...:glare: , very well monsieur.... ?"

Wagner - "Wagner"

Sax - "very well monsieur Wagnér, come back in a few weeks, I'll see what I can do..... :longface: (tuba, like horn.... horn, like tuba....) :veryunsure: "

.... in a few weeks...

The Tenor in Bb sounds 1 step down, and the Bass in F a 5th down.

I think both are transposition intruments, I'm not sure about the tenor in Bb, but the Bass in F certainly is.

EDIT:

you can hear them very clearly in

Wagner Tubas.

Like a euphonium, but more German.

Hahaha, brilliant. :D @SYS65

Well, I have to say, I LOVE Wagner Tubas! The big difference is the sound is much more mellow than a horn. It doesn't have as much edge. It has quite a range, which is very good when writing orchestral music. You'll find it mostly though in pieces ranging from when Wagner requested one up to about Rite of spring.

Nowadays, there are still a few things with Wagner Tubas, including stuff I write. Not that I expect them to get played on Wagner Tubas, but if they are... well, that's great!