John Salehi Master of Music Education, Central Methodist University Graduate Music History Dr. Jonathan Ray July 24th, 2025 Abstract Between the late 16th century into the early 20th century, the desire for a bass instrument in the wind section was increasingly prioritized. This thesis will explore the development of the tuba including precursor instruments, the inventors and mechanics that contributed to the development, use in modern day ensemble, and how the repertoire has advanced from its inception. Early Predecessors to the Tuba To understand the function and development of the modern day tuba, we must look at its predecessors. The serpent can be argued as the tuba's earliest relative dating back to the late Renaissance era being developed in the 1590s by French clergyman, Edme Guillame (n.d.). While it is unclear how the serpent was invented, Guillame is credited for the idea. It was mostly made of wood and leather and used a brass leadpipe connecting to the mouthpiece. The serpent utilized a mouthpiece that required the player to buzz to produce sound classifying it as a brass instrument. To change pitch, the player would use various combinations of fingerings to cover six tone holes. This included using half-hole fingering combinations for chromatic notes. While appearing wildly different from other brass instruments at the time, the serpent is classified as a bass cornetto, a lower pitched version of the wooden instrument of similar function during the time. Once the development was complete, this concert pitched instrument was immediately put to service in the church to fulfill the need for a deeper bass instrument to support the bass voices (Musica Antiqua, n.d.). Prior to the serpent, the lowest pitched wind instrument used at the time was the sackbut. While the serpent would later fall out of popularity in favor of the ophicleide, composers such as Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), George F. Handel (1685-1769), and, later, Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), Richard Wagner (1813-1883), and Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) all included the instrument in their works, some well into the 1800s. As the desire for chromatic capability in wind instruments grew, the keyed bugle was invented in 1810 by Joseph Halliday (1774-1857) in Ireland. The instrument became popular in local European dance bands and military bands. Both Johann Hummel (1778-1837) and Haydn popularized the keyed bugle as a solo instrument as well. Soon after its release, instrument mechanics realized they could make various versions pitched in different keys and octaves. This resulted in a lower pitched, keyed brass instrument called the ophicleide in 1817 from France. Because of its improved tone and intonation and being overall easier to play, the ophicleide became the favored bass instrument in Europe. Composers such as Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901), Wagner, Mendelssohn, and Berlioz are just a few of the many composers that featured this instrument in their operas and other works. The ophicleide did not have an extensive solo repertoire, but had the occasional solo in larger works. Unfortunately, the instrument’s popularity was short-lived due to the invention of valves. Valve Development In 1815, Heinrich Stölzel (1777-1844) patented his version of the first piston valve. Valves expanded the range of brass instruments and improved their flexibility. Later, Francois Perinet (1805-1861), a French instrument maker, improved this design by allowing smoother airflow through the valves in 1839. Perinet’s style of valves are a direct influence on the modern day piston valve (Vetter, n.d.). Other European instrument makers during this time created their own less favorable designs including Berliner pumpen and Allen valves. The other favorable valve style of the time is the rotary valve made in Vienna in 1835 by Josef Reidl (1760-1837). This style of valve had less distance for the finger to press down making moving fingers more rapidly attainable. The development of valve technology and exploration into timbre in large ensembles led to the invention of the first tubas. In 1835, Wilhem Wiepricht (1802-1872), a notable Prussian military conductor, & Johann Moritz (1777-1840), a German instrument inventor, created the basstuba pitched in F. The name came from the Latin word for tube and “bass” was prefixed to the word because of its low pitched nature (Yamaha, n.d.). While this tuba is quite smaller than the F tubas we know today, the instrument was quickly introduced to orchestras at the time solidifying the tuba’s role as a staple orchestral instrument. There is debate as to when Czech inventor, Vaclav F. Cerveny (1819-1896), invented the first contrabass tubas, pitched in B-flat and C respectively. According to his firm’s website, these came after Wiepricht and Moritz’s basstuba in 1845. Cerveny’s horns were lower in pitch and closely resembled what modern tubas look like today. Many iterations of the instrument were released throughout Europe including the French C tuba, a 6-perinet-valve non-compensating euphonium, the Harvard tuba , the largest and only subcontrabass tuba commissioned by American band composers in the early 20th century (Cannon, 2019), the Wagner tuba, a cross between the horn and tuba, and, of course, the tuba’s little sibling - the baritone/euphonium/tenor tuba (V.F. Červený & Synové, n.d.). Incorporating the Tuba in an Ensemble As mentioned previously, Hector Berlioz was one of the first advocates for including the tuba in his orchestras. The deep sound with less tuning and playing issues than other instruments at the time made it the perfect horn for the ensemble. European militaries also began adopting them into their brass bands. In the back half of the 19th century, Richard Wagner incorporated them into his orchestral works and operas. American wind and brass bands also adopted the tuba as their stable fundamental instrument in the low brass section and would occasionally be featured as a solo instrument. This led to early solo repertoire in the late 1800s like Beelzebub Air Varie by Andrea Catozzi (n.d.) written for a solo competition in 1886. Simultaneously, John Phillip Sousa (1854-1932) incorporated the tuba into his wind bands in America. This helped grow the instrument's popularity and even led to the development of the sousaphone, a modern successor to the marching helicon. Tuba as a Solo Instrument With the tuba’s popularity growing amongst the United States, tuba virtuoso William Bell (1902-1971) began to solidify the value of solo tuba repertoire. Bell played in Sousa’s band as well as the New York Philharmonic. This led to his acceptance to Indiana University where he would develop various method books for tuba, euphonium and trombone that would be accessible to middle school and high school students (Phillips, n.d.). His publication of the Complete Tuba Method incorporated solos for intermediate players with music that is still used on the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) prescribed music list. Bell’s most notable student, Harvey Phillips (1929-2010) continued his legacy of tuba education helping adapt the famous Arban Book for Tuba. Phillips would go on to teach at Juilliard where he would advocate for more composers to write music for the tuba with Alec Wilder (1907-1980), Vincent Persichetti (1915-1987), and Eugene Bozza (1905-1991) to name a few who answered that call. Roger Bobo (1938-2023), world renowned clinician, educator, composer and performer, became the first tuba player to perform as a soloist in Carnegie Hall in 1961. Bobo pushed the limits of the tuba, developing techniques like multiphonics and expanding the range and virtuosic nature of the instrument (Palton, 2008).
In Europe, prominent composers and tubists contributed significantly to the library of tuba literature. English composer Ralph Vaughn Williams wrote Concerto for Basstuba and Orchestra which has become, arguably, one of the most famous tuba solos of all time. This solo was specifically written for the British F tuba used in brass bands and orchestras during this time. In Germany, Paul Hindemith finished his collections of sonatas with his Sonata for Tuba providing a more atonal and experimental work for the instrument. Alexi Lebedev’s Concerto in One Movement is one of his many works for tuba that premiered in the United States in 1960. In 1973, students of William Bell came together to form the Tubists Universal Brotherhood Association (T.U.B.A.) by Robert Ryker (b.1938). Spawning form lectures and masterclasses given in Manhattan, New York and was funded by the Conn and Miraphone instrument companies. This organization had the primary focus of supporting tuba education and expanding tuba repertoire by reaching out to composers. Once the euphonium was added to the organization, T.U.B.A. was renamed to the International Tuba and Euphonium Association in 2000. This organization continues to publish journals and hosts annual festivals that are for tuba and euphonium players of all ages. These festivals feature some of the world’s greatest tuba and euphonium players in performance and as clinicians (I.T.E.A., 2025). Conclusion The development of the tuba and its literature has been relatively brief in the span of history only being 190 years old. From orchestra, to wind band, to solo repertoire, the instrument in its many variations has solidified itself as a staple instrument across the world. Through the advocacy and teaching of American musicians such as Bell, Phillips, and Bobo, tuba repertoire and pedagogy was able to thrive and grow exponentially.