Does anyone know when the water key/spit valve became standard option on brass instruments - specifically the tuba. I am trying to date an old Bauer tuba from Markneukirchen. Since that area of Germany has been making musical instruments for a billion years it has been difficult to put a year/decade with the horn.
Bonde
Tuba water key History question....
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Judging from instruments that have come through my shop, Cerveny tubas had water keys by or before 1894, Wurlitzer tubas had water keys by the 1880's, and I have seen Civil War-era instruments with water keys.
The keys on a keyed bugle were for pitch purposes, not water keys.
I would suspect that the tuba player in Berlioz' orchestra, shortly after having an F tuba gurgling with condensation in an exposed passage in rehearsal, had a water key added, if it did not have one to start with ;^)
The keys on a keyed bugle were for pitch purposes, not water keys.
I would suspect that the tuba player in Berlioz' orchestra, shortly after having an F tuba gurgling with condensation in an exposed passage in rehearsal, had a water key added, if it did not have one to start with ;^)
Lee A. Stofer, Jr.
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I suspect it was invented by a brass instrument maker who saw all those twirling horns and didn't want anyone dropping their tubas emptying the condensation.
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