The notation of the Wagner tuba has been an area of confusion for a long time. This is principally due to the fact that Richard Wagner himself varied his Wagner tuba notation, even within the one work of The Ring Cycle.
Wagner Tuba Notation In The Ring Cycle
Wagner’s variations of notation include: In Walküre and Siegfried the tuba parts are given in E♭ and B♭, the tenor tubas in the treble clef sounding a 6th lower than written and the bass tubas in the bass clef a tone lower. However, in Rheingold and also in the Vorspiel of Götterdämmerung they are in B♭/F notation. Switching back again, from Act 1 of Götterdämmerung through to the end of the work Wagner reverted to the double transposition of E♭ and B♭.
Wagner, along with Bruckner and Stravinsky, even adopted other systems of notation such as B♭ “basso” (bass clef, sounding a major ninth lower), E♭ or C notation, and octave-displaced bass clef. (It is generally agreed that these are impractical and should be avoided)
So, given this historical inconsistency, it is no surprise that composers, arrangers and performers have found Wagner tuba notation something of a challenge.
The Modern Approach To Wagner Tuba Notation
Today, the generally accepted approach is to use F horn transposition, typically in treble clef.
ie. a written C sounds as concert F, a perfect fifth lower than written – exactly how French horn parts are traditionally notated.
In this way:
- the actual key of the instrument itself (B♭ tenor or F bass Wagner tuba) is ignored
- the player handles the physical transposition through their instrument, using the appropriate side of their Wagner tuba, adjusting fingering accordingly.
This unified transposition also helps horn players switch between horn and Wagner tuba parts within a score without adjusting their mental pitch reference.
The Importance Of Recognising Older Notation
It remains important, of course, to be aware of the older, alternative notations, especially when working with original scores by composers such as Wagner or Bruckner.
