Top Ten Brass Works of All Time

[vandermolen]

A particularly fine addition!  Easy to forget just how great a piece this is, when it gets played to death by an over-eager classical radio programming team.

Thanks Karl,
I was reminded of it as it was on the radio (BBC Radio 3) as I drove into work today (Philadelphia SO, Ormandy). It was during an interview with a reporter/Journalist (Hugh Sykes) interspersed with his musical choices. He spoke about the work as a mixture of the sombre and the triumphant and other things I can't remember and linked its spirit to the resolution of conflict in South Africa, N. Ireland etc - places where he had reported from in his journalistic career. It was interesting.
Like John (MI) I also like the way that it's integrated into the Finale of Copland's Third Symphony.

[Karl Henning]

A curious list, Karl, but why do you feel Sibelius The Oceanides or Shostakovich's 4th belong here?

The magnificent brass peroration near the end of the third movement of the Shostakovich.

And I mistyped!  I meant Night-Ride and Sunrise . . . here I go to fix it . . . .

Thanks Karl,
I was reminded of it as it was on the radio (BBC Radio 3) as I drove into work today. It was during an interview with a reporter interspersed with his musical choices. He spoke about the work as a mixture of the sombre and the triumphant and other things I can't remember.
Like John (MI) I also like the way that it's integrated into the Finale of Copland's Third Symphony.

Yes, the first time I heard anything of the Copland Third, I was in the car, turned on the radio, and there I heard the Fanfare . . . only it ended otherwise than I was used to, and then . . . other things happened, so I knew I had chanced upon the Symphony.

[vandermolen]

The magnificent brass peroration near the end of the third movement of the Shostakovich.

And I mistyped!  I meant Night-Ride and Sunrise . . . here I go to fix it . . . .



Yes, the first time I heard anything of the Copland Third, I was in the car, turned on the radio, and there I heard the Fanfare . . . only it ended otherwise than I was used to, and then . . . other things happened, so I knew I had chanced upon the Symphony.

What a great way to discover that fine symphony!

[Mirror Image]

The magnificent brass peroration near the end of the third movement of the Shostakovich.

And I mistyped!  I meant Night-Ride and Sunrise . . . here I go to fix it . . . .



Yes, the first time I heard anything of the Copland Third, I was in the car, turned on the radio, and there I heard the Fanfare . . . only it ended otherwise than I was used to, and then . . . other things happened, so I knew I had chanced upon the Symphony.

Very cool, Karl. Ah yes, Night Ride & Sunrise. I LOVE this work and, yes, some fantastic brass writing indeed, but Sibelius always had some great parts for brass players (and woodwind players, too, for that matter).

[Brian]

Gabrieli, anyone?!?!

Janacek: Sinfonietta
Roussel: Bacchus et Ariane
Shostakovich: Festive Overture (especially in performance with extra trumpeters in the balcony for the final recapitulation)
Castellanos: Santa Cruz de Pacairigua
Mahler: Symphony No. 3
Berlioz: Te Deum

[vandermolen]

I interpreted this thread as works for brass rather than works which include prominent parts for brass.
So, to take my choices up to ten I include:
Bruckner: Symphony 8 (Scherzo)
Vaughan Williams: Tuba Concerto

[Mirror Image]

I interpreted this thread as works for brass rather than works which include prominent parts for brass.

So, to take my choices up to ten I include:

Vaughan Williams: Tuba Concerto

Great choice, Jeffrey. Love this work and it seems quite underrated. That slow movement is absolutely divine.

[vandermolen]

Great choice, Jeffrey. Love this work and it seems quite underrated. That slow movement is absolutely divine.

It is very underrated John - in James Day's (generally very good) biography of Vaughan Williams he is very critical of the work, writing that 'the jokes fall flat...etc'. I don't agree and that slow movement is very memorable and I often have it running through my head.

[Mirror Image]

It is very underrated John - in James Day's (generally very good) biography of Vaughan Williams he is very critical of the work, writing that 'the jokes fall flat...etc'. I don't agree and that slow movement is very memorable and I often have it running through my head.

Well, critics are just people with opinions much like us. I tend to ignore them, especially when they're talking nonsense about a great work like the Tuba Concerto!

[Karl Henning]

I interpreted this thread as works for brass rather than works which include prominent parts for brass.

Let's go back to the tape:

[...] I don't know much about pieces for brass only but see no reason for any restrictions, so you are welcome to name pieces for orchestra, band or brass or all kinds of mixed ensembles that feature prominent, demanding, fascinating brass playing

And although you say works for brass, you listed the Holst and Vaughan Williams Suites.  Do you really mean, Sir, to insult a friend who plays a woodwind?   0:)

[PerfectWagnerite]

Not sure whether these have been mentioned:

Strauss's Alpensinfonie
Shostakovich's 7th Symphony
Gliere's 3rd Symphony

[Brian]

JUST realized the title says to specify ten.

[vandermolen]

Gabrieli, anyone?!?!

Janacek: Sinfonietta
Roussel: Bacchus et Ariane
Shostakovich: Festive Overture (especially in performance with extra trumpeters in the balcony for the final recapitulation)
Castellanos: Santa Cruz de Pacairigua
Mahler: Symphony No. 3
Berlioz: Te Deum

The Janacek is a great choice.

[vandermolen]

Let's go back to the tape:

And although you say works for brass, you listed the Holst and Vaughan Williams Suites.  Do you really mean, Sir, to insult a friend who plays a woodwind?   0:)

You must remember Karl that I'm, sadly, not a musician - just a CD nutter. 

[ludwigii]

Small contribution ...

Paul Dukas : La Péri, Fanfare

I think the usefulness of this Fanfare is to drop the listener into the atmosphere of what will follow, in fact it seems to be transported into a mythical world, far removed in time and space, as in an old-fashioned adventure movie (those peplum with Hercules and similar). The music has an extraordinary evocative power.


A work I love, that include prominent parts for brass :

Witold Lutoslawski : Symphony 4

[vandermolen]

Scriabin's 'Poem of Ecstasy' also has some powerful brass passages.

[James]

Stravinsky's Symphonies of Winds stands out for me immediately, that one I truly cherish. Hmmm really can't think of much else at the moment.