By the end of the 19th century, however, it had been largely superseded by early forms of the modern tuba, developed from valved ophicleides.

[3] The bass ophicleide first appeared in the banda (stage band) of the opera Olimpie by Gaspare Spontini in 1819.

[7] Other famous works which employ it include Felix Mendelssohn's Elijah and Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream (originally scored for English bass horn), as well as Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, which was originally scored to include both an ophicleide and a serpent.

Sir Arthur Sullivan included ophicleide in his Overture Di Ballo (which, like Wagner's opera Rienzi, also has an additional part for serpent).

Australian trombonist Nick Byrne has commissioned and recorded works for the ophicleide, including a concerto by American composer William Perry.

These instruments were called valved ophicleides (German: Ventilophikleide; French: ophicléide à piston).

[15] The ophicleide was eventually succeeded by the tuba, although it remained popular in Italy until the early twentieth century.

Some instruments were made with between one and three extra right hand keys to provide better intonation for specific notes in this register.

The right hand keys may also be used in the upper registers as alternate fingerings to facilitate faster passages or to improve intonation.

With the exception of these special few pitches in the low octave, the combinations of partials on various sets of opened tone holes results in the left hand fingers going through something very similar to what they would be doing to manipulate the valves on a modern brass instrument.