Richard Strauss
Don Quixote — tenor tuba part
Strauss's tenor-tuba writing is among the most exposed and characterful in the orchestral literature — the voice of Sancho Panza himself.
| Composer | Richard Strauss |
|---|---|
| Composed | 1897 |
| Era | Romantic |
| Type | Orchestral Excerpt |
| Difficulty | virtuoso |
| Available scorings | Orchestra |
| Duration | ~6 minutes |
| Clef | bass, tenor |
| Originally for | Tenor Tuba |
| Technical demands | character, wide intervals, register control, exposed ensemble playing |
| Good for | orchestral audition, excerpt study |
| Publisher | Various (1898) |
In Don Quixote, Strauss assigns the tenor tuba (played on euphonium) the earthy, comic character of Sancho Panza, with writing so specific and exposed that it functions almost as a solo. Alongside the tenor-tuba parts in Ein Heldenleben, it is a standard and feared orchestral excerpt — a test of character, control, and nerve in equal measure.
Sources
- Clifford Bevan, The Tuba Family (2000)