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B♭B♭1 · concert pitchopen · 2nd partial
SongsGoing Home (Largo, New World Symphony)
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Antonín Dvořák, Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”, second movement, 1893. The melody is public domain; the later “Goin’ Home” lyric is not used here.

42 notes · C1–F4 · the pedal B♭0 on the ladder · 42 notes · The band tuba: 18 feet of tube in B♭, and a fourth valve that fills the gap above the pedal.

Tap a note, or slide along them to slur from note to note in one breath. On a keyboard the letters on the notes are the ones to press — Q is the low F on the BB♭ (the G on the CC) and they climb a semitone at a time.

Going Home (New World Largo) — Tuba Notes

Going Home (Largo, New World Symphony) (the opening theme), written out for the tuba as written notes with the valves for each one and set up above on the BB♭ · 4 valves. Press Play to hear it, Practice to learn it one note at a time — the tuba waits for you — or Play along to keep time with it.

  • Notes22, 4 pitches
  • RangeB♭1–F2
  • Key hereB♭ major
  • Tempo66 bpm · about 29 s
  • LevelEasy

Can a tuba play Going Home (New World Largo)?

Yes — every one on this page plays it. The check is made note by note against what each one can actually sound. Where the tune does not fit as the library writes it, another key or octave is tried, and the table says which; where nothing fits, it names the notes that are missing.

  • BB♭ · 4 valves✓ Plays as writtenIn B♭ major, B♭1–F2 · loaded above
  • BB♭ · 3 valves✓ Plays as writtenIn B♭ major, B♭1–F2 · load it
  • CC · 4 valves✓ Plays as writtenIn B♭ major, B♭1–F2 · load it

Going Home (New World Largo): tuba notes

The large line is the written note; the small line under it is the valves to press — 0 is none. A dash holds the note another beat, an underline is half a beat, and a dot beside a note makes it half as long again. Each line is one phrase.

▶ Play it above

Going Home (Largo, New World Symphony) — tuba notes (BB♭ · 4 valves) · tonalics.com

The 4 notes it uses

Lowest to highest, with how many times each is played. Learn these 4 and you can play the whole tune.

  • B♭0×4
  • C4×6
  • D1-2×7
  • F0×5

What to expect on a tuba

  • It runs from B♭1 to F2, a fifth, using 4 different notes. That leaves 10 semitones unused below and 24 above.
  • 71% of its moves are a step or a repeated note. The widest is a minor third, D2 to F2, at note 2.
  • It uses 3 valve combinations (1-2, open and 4), and 9 of its 22 notes are played open.
  • The lips move across 2 partials of the harmonic series (2, 3).

About the tune

This is the cor anglais melody that opens the slow movement of Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”, written in New York in 1893 while he was director of the National Conservatory. It sounds like a spiritual and is often taken for one, but the tune is Dvořák’s own.

Antonín Dvořák, Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”, second movement, 1893. The melody is public domain; the later “Goin’ Home” lyric is not used here. More about Going Home (New World Largo) →

Going Home (New World Largo) on other instruments

The same melody, in each instrument’s own notation.

More songs for the tuba

All 36 tuba songs · Christmas songs for tuba · The online tuba on its own

Playing it on a real tuba?

If it sounds wrong, check the instrument before the notes. The tuba tuner listens through your microphone and names what each note is actually sounding.

🎙 Open the Tuba Tuner