Robert Tucci Sound Energy Tuba Mouthpiece

Item Details

Robert Tucci - Evolution of a Success Story

Robert Tucci's mouthpiece designs have been some of the best selling and most popular designs for several decades.  All are made under his personal supervision in Germany.

The Robert Tucci concept: a comprehensive selection of mature and proven mouthpieces designed by and for professionals.  The designers are you: the musicians to whom we listen.  With each ensuing production sequence all desired aspects of tonal color, response, dynamic and factual range are implemented into our products. 

Robert Tucci mouthpieces are musical entities and as such are subject to constant refinement, this being the very nature of the art of music.  The instruments we play are better than ever; our mouthpieces are designed to enhance them.

Robert Tucci mouthpieces evolve and contribute to the art of musical performance.  They are the choice of professionals and enterprising musicians the world over.  Play Robert Tucci mouthpieces; be part of the art we love and to which our work is dedicated.

Evolution in Sound

As the world's foremost exclusive manufacturer of tuba mouthpieces, Robert Tucci plays a major role in the development of contemporary concepts of tone, velocity and dynamic range.

Design Purpose

Robert Tucci offers many different models, each designed for a specific purpose.  There is no need to compromise.  Choose the best Robert Tucci mouthpieces to best serve your needs.

Tonal Presence

Robert Tucci mouthpieces enhance upon proven design philosophy.  Vibrancy, resonance, color and excellent projection are their hallmarks!

Innovation

Robert Tucci means musical and technical leadership.  Every model advances the art and sets new standards for others to reach.

Compatibility

All models are based on the same philosophy of sound, response, balance and tonal presence.  Changing from one instrument to another can be accomplished with ease.

Materials

Only the highest quality brass and silver are used for Robert Tucci mouthpieces.  Care in engineering, fully polished cups and application of pure silver or 24 Carat gold assure superb resonance, perfect response, and the finest tony quality and playing comfort.  Rims and cups are fully polished by automated equipment in order to assure a smooth surface and consistency.  Gold plate finish is available by special order.  Please ask for a quote.

Engraving

All new mouthpieces in this series are engraved "Robert Tucci"  Some existing stock may have slightly different earlier engraving, but all dimensions are the same.

Shanks

Robert Tucci mouthpieces are available with the following shanks:

• No indication: Large shank, for modern instruments with large receivers 13.5mm
• "S" models: For instruments with smaller than standard receivers, 13.1mm

Compliments of Josef Klier mouthpieces, here are some shank comparisons:

• Miraphone shanks start  at 13.3 with a slope of 1:20 (Morse zero) and an overall length of 97mm
• The Perantucci models start at 13.5 and a length of 97mm
• JK models start at 13.5 and a length of 96 mm
• The old Kaiser tuba shank started at 14.0mm

Shells

Several Robert Tucci mouthpieces are available in heavy shell plus (+) versions as the HS-Series.  Plus (+) models incorporate modified cup and bore specifications as well as additional shell weight for unprecedented stability and projection.

Sizes

We attempt to keep all sizes below in stock.  This web page does not always update properly, so if a size shows out of stock, please ask.  We may have it, or it's arriving shortly.

Bio of Robert Tucci

Robert "Bob" Tucci once indicated that he had the good fortune of being able to look back on sixty years of a life with and for the tuba, his first love. Serious study began in 1955 as a student of Harold McDonald, tubist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra from 1952-1983. This continued in 1958, with Arnold Jacobs in Chicago. To this day he „remains a student of Arnold Jacobs.

In 1960 and due to a recommendation by Mr. Jacobs he became a member of the Louisville Orchestra, continuing studies at the School of Music of the University of Louisville. In 1962 he relocated to Vienna, became first a member of the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, later tubist of the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.

Within a few short months he moved from an American orchestra famous for its Commissioning Series, to premiere and record twentieth century music by living composers, to one of great centers of traditional European culture and music. The young tuba player who once had a concert band audience smiling when he missed the opening note of the R. Strauss Concerto No. 1 for Horn found himself looking at Herbert von Karajan, Karl Boehm, Paul Kletzki, Josef Krips, George Solti, Wolfgang Sawallisch, Zubin Mehta along with many others.

From 1966-69 he served with the United States Army Field Band, played most of the 1969-70 season with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, and returned to Europe thereafter. In 1971 he joined the orchestra of the State Theatre in Kassel, followed in 1972 by a position at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich.

Munich and the Bavarian State Opera became his home. Over the years he performed with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Munich Philharmonic, the Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio, the Berlin Radio Symphony, the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Hamburg Opera and Philharmonic, the State Orchestra of Baden-Wuerttemberg and the Symphony Orchestra of the South German Radio in Stuttgart, the orchestras in Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Chemnitz, Augsburg, Ulm, Regensburg, Innsbruck, Zurich, the Salzburg Festival, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva, the Orchestra of the Arena di Verona, at La Scala in Milan, the Orchestra Nationale Santa Cecilia, the Cleveland Orchestra along with studio recording, brass quintets and ensembles including Summit Brass. He always said that he had much for which to be grateful.

Wolfgang Sawallisch and Zubin Mehta went on to become General Music Directors of the Bavarian State Opera, from 1972-93 and 1996 to 2006 respectively. During the 1985-86 season the Bavarian State Opera presented all thirteen of Richard Wagner's opera, four complete "Ring" cycles included, as well as all twenty-three operas, eighty-six performances, and most of the symphonic music by Richard Strauss. Bob once referred to Wolfgang Sawallisch as his "General Music Director for Life".

Bob Tucci enjoys close cooperation with leading manufacturers, to develop Perantucci brass wind instruments and mouthpieces, lines that have become the equipment choice for thousands of musicians worldwide.

Bob never felt that being a tuba player in some of Europe's finest orchestras was something special. In Germany alone there are over one hundred fulltime professional orchestras, each with a tuba player, some with two. There are countless other American musicians who have or had similar careers in Europe. Arnold Jacobs often referred to his chair in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as "The Best Seat in the House". That is how Bob felt, having the opportunity to listen to great orchestral string sections, unique instrumental artists and in particular, to most of the great vocal artists of the second half of the twentieth century. For someone who grew up in a Western Pennsylvania coal-mining town, that was truly "The Best Seat in the House".

-from International Tuba Euphonium Association