Leitmotifs “R” Us
It’s a big, heavy, low-pitched brass instrument. It can go oom-pah-pah, if that’s what you desire. But despite these familiar characteristics, and despite its name, a Wagner tuba isn’t really considered a tuba. Confused? Not for long.
This unusual, oval-shaped in 1853, the work that would become the first part of his epic cycle, Wagner envisioned a brass instrument that could play what he called the “Valhalla motif,” a recurring theme meant to evoke a realm of ancient Norse gods. The new instrument would sound like a traditional hunting horn but could play multiple notes and would fit most comfortably in the orchestra between the trombone and the French horn.
