Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
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apetrombone
- Posts: 20
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Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
What are your favorite orchestral low brass recordings? I think it's time for an updated thread. Please share! 
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fsgazda
- Posts: 214
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
This recording was very important for me as a student. It's not always tasteful, but it's always awesome!
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjY- ... EETIatATE6
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjY- ... EETIatATE6
Frank S. Gazda
Professor of Music, Delaware State University
Freelance Low Brass, Mid-Atlantic
https://chess.desu.edu/about/faculty-pr ... -gazda-dma
Professor of Music, Delaware State University
Freelance Low Brass, Mid-Atlantic
https://chess.desu.edu/about/faculty-pr ... -gazda-dma
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MStarke
- Posts: 1024
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
This:
Or this:
Or this:
Markus Starke
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
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sf105
- Posts: 456
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
Nice bit of contra there (doubling fee?)
- Finetales
- Posts: 1490
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
These were the first two that immediately came to mind. Some other favorites of mine:
Olaf Ott demonstrates yet again why he's my favorite principal trombonist.
Royal Scottish National Orchestra at their best, on one of my favorite pieces.
Entirely for the linked moment at 3:48 where the bass trombonist full sends the low Ds!
CSO brass at the pinnacle of their power. 32:16 blew my mind the first time I heard it back in the day.
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MStarke
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
No. It's regular part of many orchestral contracts in Germany. That's why you here a lot of great contra playing.
Markus Starke
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
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MStarke
- Posts: 1024
- Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2019 4:33 pm
Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
That little part that Olaf Ott plays is sooo beautiful! He really has a huge footprint - while being a really down to earth guy.Finetales wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 10:01 am
Olaf Ott demonstrates yet again why he's my favorite principal trombonist.
Entirely for the linked moment at 3:48 where the bass trombonist full sends the low Ds!
The bass trombone in the other excerpt is most certainly Siegfried Cieslik. Yes , the one with the Lätzsch trombone model and Klier mouthpiece. Great orchestral trombonist - obviously - and known for playing, well... pretty loud.
Markus Starke
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
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Schultz
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:12 am
Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
Have a listen to the contra player in the Frankfurt Opera laying it down at the end of Das Rheingold
And i’ve always enjoyed the 80s era of Bernstein and NY Phil recordings.
And the Cincinatti Recordings with Lopez Cobos
And i’ve always enjoyed the 80s era of Bernstein and NY Phil recordings.
And the Cincinatti Recordings with Lopez Cobos
Last edited by Schultz on Wed Jul 01, 2026 5:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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MStarke
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
It's always great if someone finally plays contra in a tasteful way, really making use of its sweet and warm soundSchultz wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 11:28 pm Have a listen to the contra player in the Frankfurt Opera laying it down at the end of Das Rheingold
Nice.
Markus Starke
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
- MahlerMusic
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Tue May 07, 2019 10:18 am
Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
You can hear the exact moment they turn it up to 11. LolSchultz wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 11:28 pm Have a listen to the contra player in the Frankfurt Opera laying it down at the end of Das Rheingold
This is what I listened to 20 years ago when I started living on my own and it was my wake up and get out the door piece as it gave me a 30 minute countdown to be out the door.
soo many memories.
- bassclef
- Posts: 313
- Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2018 8:30 am
Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
This is the definitive recording of this work, in my opinion.
I wish I could remember the bass trombonist's name...but Maestro Jarvi really has him gettin' after it, even more so than any other recording or live performance I have personally heard.
- SwissTbone
- Posts: 1158
- Joined: Thu Mar 22, 2018 11:40 pm
Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
That put a smile on my face!bassclef wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2026 2:06 pm
This is the definitive recording of this work, in my opinion.
I wish I could remember the bass trombonist's name...but Maestro Jarvi really has him gettin' after it, even more so than any other recording or live performance I have personally heard.
ƒƒ---------------------------------------------------ƒƒ
Like trombones? Head over to https://swisstbone.com/ to see some great vintage and custom horns!
Like trombones? Head over to https://swisstbone.com/ to see some great vintage and custom horns!
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Schultz
- Posts: 47
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
That’s Bob Hughes. Before be joined the London Symphony. Those are some iconic recordings with RSNO and Jarvi!
- BrianJohnston
- Posts: 1057
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
Anything Chicago Symphony from like 1950-2010 or so.
Faculty - Mount Royal University
Civic Orchestra of Chicago Alum 2019-2021
Bach Brass Artist
Civic Orchestra of Chicago Alum 2019-2021
Bach Brass Artist
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MStarke
- Posts: 1024
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Re: Favorite Orchestral Low Brass Recordings?
Don't think this has got much attention yet, but it is in my opinion one of the greatest live recordings of the "Leningrader" available.
If you want to keep it short, go to 1:20:00 and listen to that bass trombone entry (actually two bass trombones).
BTW the orchestra is one of the very few that continue to have a tradition of playing German trombones and having a great low brass section, which obviously also works for that kind of repertoire.
If you want to keep it short, go to 1:20:00 and listen to that bass trombone entry (actually two bass trombones).
BTW the orchestra is one of the very few that continue to have a tradition of playing German trombones and having a great low brass section, which obviously also works for that kind of repertoire.
Markus Starke
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces
Alto, tenor, bass and contra (plus euphonium and bass trumpet)
Occasional freelance trombonist
Former Founder/Owner MST STUDIO Mouthpieces