Bass saxtuba in E-flat

Adolphe (Antoine Joseph) Sax

1855 · brass · Musical Instruments

Saxtubas were built as a family with instruments ranging from B-flat sopranino to B-flat contrabass. This bass in E-flat was the second largest size. The striking appearance of the larger sax tubas was inspired by the Roman cornu as depicted on Trajan's Column. Saxtubas were first used in 1852 in the premiere performance of Halevy's opera Le juif errant in the Paris Academie Nationale de Musique, where they featured in a 15-piece stage ensemble. They also appeared in a military and national ceremony in Paris on the Champ de Mars later in 1852. This instrument and a B-flat tenor held in the Trompetenmuseum in Bad Saeckingen, Germany are the only saxtubas known to survive.

Artist

Adolphe (Antoine Joseph) Sax

Date

1855

Medium

brass

Culture

French

Department

Musical Instruments

Credit line

The Crosby Brown Collection of Musical Instruments, 1889