Tuba repertoire explained

This page lists classical pieces in the tuba repertoire, including solo works, concertenti and chamber music of which tuba plays a significant part.

Solo tuba

• Georges Aperghis, Ruinen (1994)
• Malcolm Arnold, Fantasy, Op. 102 (1969)
• Gerald Barry, Foghorn (2020)
• John Cage, Solo for Tuba (1957-1958)
• Elliott Carter, Retracing IV (2011)
• Henning Christiansen, Kirkeby og Edvard Munch, Op. 136 (1981)
• Henning Christiansen, Lettres de Tuba, Op. 164 (1984)
• Henning Christiansen, sTilsTand, Op. 167, 168a (1985)
• Franco Donatoni, Che (1997)
• Vinko Globokar, Échanges (1973)
• Tom Johnson, Monologue For Tuba for Narrating Tubist (1978)
• Tom Johnson, Tilework (2003)
• Mauricio Kagel, Mirum (1965)
• Alvin Lucier, Sestina for 6-valve Tuba (2011)
• Krzysztof Penderecki, Capriccio (1980)
• Vincent Persichetti, Serenade No. 12, Op. 88 (1961)
• Vincent Persichetti, Parable XXII, Op. 147 (1981)
• Frederic Rzewski, Honk (2004)
• Boris Tishchenko, Four Pieces, Op. 94 (1985)
• Christian Wolff, Tuba Song (1992)

Tuba and piano

• Leslie Bassett, Song and Dance (1993)
• Leonard Bernstein, Waltz for Mippy III (1948)
• Bruce Broughton, Sonata (Concerto)
• Bruce Broughton, Turbulence (2011)
• Pierre Max Dubois, Histoires de tuba (1988)
• Vinko Globokar, Juriritubaïoka (1996)
• Sofia Gubaidulina, Lamento (1977)
• Jennifer Higdon, Tuba Songs (2016)
• Paul Hindemith, Tuba Sonata (1955)
• Vagn Holmboe, Tuba Sonata, Op. 162 (1985)
• Bertold Hummel, Sonatina op. 81a (1983)
• Bertold Hummel, 3 Bagatelles op. 95h (1993)
• Roger Kellaway, Dr Martin Luther King: in Memoriam (1984)^[1]
• Rued Langgaard, Dies irae (1948)
• , Monsters (2019)
• Karlheinz Stockhausen, In Freundschaft, Nr. 46¹³/₁₄ (1977)
• John D. Stevens, Monument (2006)
• Josef Tal, Movement (1980)
• Alexander Tcherepnin, Andante, Op. 64 (1939)
• Barbara York, How Beautiful (2008)^[2]

Tuba choir

• Bruce Broughton, Jackhammer for 4 Tubas
• Anthony Burgess, Homage to Hans Keller for 4 Tubas (1982)
• Johannes Fritsch, Tubæ for 2 Tubas (2000)
• Per Nørgård, Nu dækker sne den hele jord - Vintersalmer for 8 Tubas (1976)
• Wolfgang von Schweinitz, Horned Owl Sequence, Op. 53 for 2 Tubas (2010)
• Gunther Schuller, Five Moods for 4 Tubas (1973)
• Christian Wolff, Out-take for 2 Tubas (2005)

Tuba and instrument(s)

• Henning Christiansen, Kredsløbsforstyrrelse, Op. 131 for Recitation and Tuba (1980)
• Pierre Max Dubois, Mini quatuor for 2 Piccolos and 2 Tubas (1977)
• Christopher Fox, Hidden Consequences for Microtonal Horn, Trombone and Microtonal Tuba (2009–10)
• Henryk Górecki, Aria, Op. 59 for Tuba, Piano, Tam-tam and Bass Drum (1987)
• Morton Gould, Tuba Suite for Solo Tuba and 3 Horns (1971)
• Meyer Kupferman, Sound Objects 1-3 (1978), for tuba, trumpet and piano (1978)^[3]
• Alvin Lucier, Sestina for Contrabass Flute, Contrabass Saxophone and Contrabass Tuba (2000)
• Larry Polansky, Two Children's Songs for Trombone and Tuba (1992)
• Larry Polansky, Three Pieces for Trombone and Tuba (2011)
• , Monsters for Tuba and Chamber Ensemble (Fl.Ob.Cl.BCl.ASax.Bn.CBn.Hn.3Percussionists) (2019)
• Gunther Schuller, Refrains for 12 Tubas, 10 Euphoniums and Percussion (2006)
• Galina Ustvolskaya, Dona Nobis Pacem, Composition No. 1 for Piccolo, Tuba and Piano (1971)
• Trevor Wishart, Pastorale / Walden 2, Music Theatre for Tuba, Flute and Tape (1979)
• Charles Wuorinen, Never Again the Same for Bass and Tuba (2006)
• Christian Wolff, Out-take (2005)

Tuba and ensemble

• Bruce Broughton, Concerto (Sonata) for Tuba and Winds (1987)
• Bruce Broughton, Turbulence for Tuba and Winds
• Michael Daugherty, Reflections on the Mississippi for Tuba and Symphonic Band (2015)
• Morton Feldman, Chorus and Instruments II for Choir, Tuba and Chimes (1967)
• Jean Françaix, Petite valse européenne for Tuba and Double Wind Quintet (1979)
• Gordon Jacob, Suite for Tuba and Strings (1972)
• Vagn Holmboe, Intermezzo concertante, Op. 171 for Tuba and String Orchestra (1976)
• David Lang, are you experienced? for Tuba, Narrator and Ensemble (1987)
• , Concertissimo for Tuba and Wind Band (1997)
• Charles Wuorinen, Chamber Concerto for Tuba, Winds and Drums (1970)

Tuba and orchestra

• Kalevi Aho, Tuba Concerto (2000–01)
• Alexander Arutiunian, Concerto for Tuba (1992)^[4]
• Øystein Baadsvik, Concerto for Tuba (2015)^[5]
• Harrison Birtwistle, The Cry of Anubis (1994)
• Bruce Broughton, Concerto for Tuba (2003)
• Michael Daugherty, Reflections on the Mississippi (2013)
• John Golland, Tuba Concerto, op. 46 (1980s)
• Edward Gregson, Tube Concerto (1978)^[6]
• Jonathan Harvey, Lightness and Weight (1987)
• Jennifer Higdon, Tuba Concerto (2017)
• Vagn Holmboe, Tuba Concerto, op. 127 (1976)
• Helmut Lachenmann, Harmonica (1981–83)
• Torbjörn Iwan Lundquist, Landscape for tuba, string orchestra and piano (1978)^[4]
• Arild Plau, Concerto for solo tuba and string orchestra (1990)^[7]
• Jan Sandström, Lemon House, Tuba Concerto (2002)
• Gunther Schuller, Capriccio (1960)^[8]
• Gunther Schuller, Tuba Concerto No. 2 (2008)^[8]
• Roger Steptoe, Tuba Concerto (1983)^[6]
• Roland Szentpáli, Tuba Concerto (2002)^[9]
• Ralph Vaughan Williams, Concerto in F Minor for Bass Tuba (1954)
• John Williams, Concerto for Tuba and Orchestra (1985)
• Charles Wuorinen, Prelude to Kullervo (1985)

Tuba, soloist(s) and orchestra

• Bruce Broughton, Oliver's Birthday for Tuba, Piano, Trumpet and Symphonic Band (1998)
• Jennifer Higdon, Low Brass Concerto for 2 Tenor Trombones, Bass Trombone, Tuba and Orchestra (2017)
• André Previn, Triple Concerto for Horn, Trumpet, Tuba and Orchestra (2011)

Electronic / Electroacoustic

• Henning Christiansen, Im Bauch des Wolfs, Op. 165 for 3 Tubas and Tape (1985)
• David Cope, Spirals for Tuba and Tape (1972)
• Karlheinz Essl, Si! for Tenor Tuba, Live Electronics and Surround Sound (2012)
• Luca Francesconi, Animus III for Tuba and Live Electronics (2008)
• Vinko Globokar, Introspection d'un tubiste for Tuba, Electronics and Multimedia (1983)
• Jonathan Harvey, Still for Tuba and Electronics (1997)
• Phill Niblock, B Poore for Taped Tuba (1981)
• Luigi Nono, Post-prae-ludium n. 1 per Donau for Tuba and Live Electronics (1987)
• Bernard Parmegiani, Tuba-ci, Tuba-là for Tuba and Tape (1982)
• Bernard Parmegiani, Tuba-raga for Tuba and Tape (1983)
• Trevor Wishart, Tuba Mirum, Music Theatre for Tuba and Tape (1978)

References

• Web site: pour Tuba. ircam.
• Web site: pour Tuba et ensemble/orchestre. ircam.
• Web site: pour Duo de cuivre et clavier. ircam.

Notes and References

1. https://www.editions-bim.com/sheet-music/brass/tuba/tuba-and-piano/roger-kellaway-dr-martin-luther-king-in-memoriam-for-tuba-and-piano BIM Editions
2. Velvet Brown, Tuba. Crystal Records CD696 (2024)
3. https://store.subitomusic.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5914 Soundspells Productions
4. '20th Century Tuba Concertos', BISCD1515 (2009)
5. https://www.lowbrassmusic.com/artists/oystein-baadsvik/baadsvik-concerto-symphonic-wind-orchestra Low Brass Music
6. British Tuba Concertos, Naxos 8.557754 (2004)
7. https://www.lowbrassmusic.com/artists/oystein-baadsvik/concerto-for-tuba-and-strings-7173 Low Brass Music
8. News: Tireless Schuller leads premiere of new tuba concerto. 2011-02-17. Eichler. Jeremy. The Boston Globe.
9. 'Roland Szentpáli: Three Concertos', Toccata TOCC0568 (2020)