The origins of the tuba date right back to ancient Rome: This thick-piped, deep instrument was used to issue signals to the Roman cavalry. The word means ‘tube' in Latin, and it was also used to refer to trumpets. The European predecessor of the tuba was a 17th century instrument known as the serpent, which was fashioned from horns and leather into the winding shape of a snake. The modern tuba was created some 180 years ago by a German instrument-maker, who made the body from a brass sheet and fitted it with valves. The weight of the bulky tuba is around 13 kilogrammes, making it ten times heavier than the trumpet. There is generally only one tuba in a modern symphony orchestra, and it is rarely heard playing solo parts.

Age: 8-12 year
Presented by: Müpa Budapest