TromboneChat

What are your favorite orchestral low brass recordings? I think it's time for an updated thread. Please share!

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

This:



Or this:

MStarke wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:14 pm

Nice bit of contra there (doubling fee?)

MStarke wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:14 pm This:

Or this:

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.

sf105 wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 8:41 am

MStarke wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:14 pm

Nice bit of contra there (doubling fee?)

No. It's regular part of many orchestral contracts in Germany. That's why you here a lot of great contra playing.

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!

That little part that Olaf Ott plays is sooo beautiful! He really has a huge footprint - while being a really down to earth guy.

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.

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

Schultz 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

It's always great if someone finally plays contra in a tasteful way, really making use of its sweet and warm sound

Nice.

Schultz 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

You can hear the exact moment they turn it up to 11. Lol

Schultz wrote: Fri Apr 10, 2026 11:28 pm And the Cincinatti Recordings with Lopez Congo’s

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.

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.

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.

That put a smile on my face!

That’s Bob Hughes. Before be joined the London Symphony. Those are some iconic recordings with RSNO and Jarvi!

Anything Chicago Symphony from like 1950-2010 or so.

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.