The Wagner Tuba

  • Wagner Tuba
    • Introduction
    • Wagner Tuba History
      • The Vision
      • The Apprentice
      • Trials and Transpositions
      • Fruition
      • The Disciple
      • Wagner’s Heirs
      • Modern Voices
      • Wagner Tuba Revival
    • Physical Properties & Range
    • Wagner Tuba Notation
    • Position in The Score
    • Seating in the Orchestra
  • Composers
    • Wagner Tuba Composers
    • Stephen Caudel
    • Andrew Downes
    • Jan Koetsier
    • Jorge E. López
    • Elisabeth Lutyens
  • Richard Wagner
    • Introduction
    • Birth in Leipzig
    • The ‘Acting’ Father
    • Wagner the Student
    • Early Compositions
    • Marriage to Minna Planer
    • Wagner in Paris
    • Mathilde Wesendonk
    • King Ludwig II of Bavaria
    • Wagner and Cosima
    • Bayreuth & Final Years
  • The Brass Section
    • Introduction
    • French Horn Introduction
      • French Horn History
      • French Horn Range
      • The Double Horn
      • French Horn Manufacturers
      • Famous Horn Players
      • French Horn Repertoire
      • Learning The French Horn
      • French Horn Orchestration
      • Contemporary Jazz Horn
    • Trumpet Introduction
      • Types Of Trumpet
      • Trumpet History
      • Trumpet Range
      • Famous Trumpet Players
    • Trombone
    • Tuba
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Elisabeth Lutyens

Elizabeth LutyensBorn in 1906 of parents Sir Edwin Lutyens and Lady Emily Lytton, Elisabeth was one of 5 children. By the age of 9 she had already decided she wanted to be a composer and studied music first in Paris (where in the 1920’s she became enthralled by the music of Debussy) and then in London at the Royal College of Music where she studied the viola and composition.

During the 1930’s and 40’s her life was taken up more with marriage and children though from 1937 through to 1942 she wrote her six string quartets.

Her other compositions for which she is mainly remembered were written in later years:

“Music For Orchestra” – 3 works (1955, 1962, 1963)
“Essence of Our Happiness” (1968)
“Concert Aria for high soprano and orchestra (1976)

Elisabeth was a radical and a strong individual which comes across in her music. As a composer she was given the nickname “Twelve Note Lizzie” in recognition of her love of serialism and as a person, she could be highly argumentative and even snobbish though many also found her to be a very intelligent, articulate and charming woman. She died in 1983.

Elisabeth Lutyens and the Wagner Tuba

In 1960 Elisabeth Lutyens wrote “Quincunx” in which she revived the use of a quartet of Wagner Tubas. It is notable however that at no time do the players double on horns in this work. She also opted to write for the 4 instruments all in F, claiming that it was a matter of practicality from the players’ point of view.
No other scores have the tenor tubas described as F instruments.

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WAGNER TUBA COMPOSERS

  • Stephen Caudel
  • Andrew Downes
  • Jan Koetsier
  • Jorge E. López
  • Elisabeth Lutyens

COOL IN THE 60s

From the sixties onwards the Wagner Tuba reached Hollywood and even the Motown charts. It was memorably used in Harry Nilsson’s ‘Everybody’s Talkin’, Mason Williams’ ‘Classical Gas’ and Mike Post’s ‘Rockford Files Theme’ – the latter two being honoured with musical awards. The Wagner Tuba has been used creatively in both Jazz and motion film scores.

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