Posted by keating Johnson on September 01, 2002 at 17:41:02:
In Reply to: contra tuba? posted by Tim on September 01, 2002 at 00:14:17:
Contra---I've just begun with graduate conductors. Contrabass, contrabassoon, yes contrabass tuba [BBb CC] contrabassclarinet etc etc. contra means against or counter, but with respect to pitch in music [from Latin] it means the lower octave. Cello parts are written as they sound, the string bass [contrabass] sounds down an octave lower than it is written. Contrabassoons sound down one octave from the written notation. The contrabass tuba was Wagner's idea for use in the Ring--down one octave from the standard Bb trombone. In any event, all of the contra---anythings, play the lower octave. In tubas we write the pitch to be heard [excepting brass bands] but still consider this the contrabass tuba.