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We spend a lot of time counting rests in orchestra so when it comes time to play you have to make it count.

I am curious what are people's favorite very short phrase or single note moments in the orchestral rep. My favorite such moment has to be bar 256 (after letter O) and bar 266 leading into Q of the first movement of Tchaikovsky 4. It's only a dotted half leading to a downbeat eighth, but it gets me every time. Feels like electricity flowing through the horn.

The other one is bar 100 of the first movement of Sibelius 2. Just a C major chord really but if the blend is good with the horns it sounds like a pipe organ and everybody wakes up. It's fleeting and gone. There is another one like it (F major) right near the end but it is just not the same.

Any other favorite similar moments?

I have several. I do not have the orchestra parts in front of me as I write, so they may be somewhat vague.

- In the Finale of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite, There is a single note that is only played by the tuba and must be right on its mark.
- I also mention the short solo passages in the first two movements of Mahler's Fifth Symphony, especially the one at the end of the second movement.

I like "D"

Lots of D's in Sibelius 2.

Zarathustra, shortly before rehearsal 18. Tuba 1 plays just two soft notes, Db/C, ushering in the crazy string writing leading up to the famous trumpet call to the high C. This spot never fails to raise the hairs on my neck.

3) The g flat (f sharp?) at the end of "Ego sum Abbas" in Carmina Burana. 7:40 or so of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujD9fyH9Hew .

2) Sibelius 1 (it's all great - I would love a concert of 1, intermission, 2 and Finlandia); in the 2nd movement, where the tuba has a couple of nice short licks right before the rest of the brass comes in with "stingers." At around 21:10 to 21:20 of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnZUayjPpo0 Actually, there are 1, 2 and 3 note "drive-by" solos all through the piece.

1) Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony (it's all wonderful); the tail end of the 3rd movement - around 40:40 (before Ee) of this -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS97NeH_j_8 There is also a wonderful line in the opening of the 4th movement, just beautiful, at around 44:00.

Oh God, please let me play the Sibelius and VW at least once more before I die. I won't pray to do the Orff again. That I know I'll do over, and over, and over...

Two notes that define music, vis-a-vis the tuba, for me:

The Low C in the 2nd movement of Berg's Violin Concerto. Listen to Chester on his Alex play this note on DG 447 445-2 recorded in 1978. It is perfect. Absolutely perfect.

The Low C that starts the fast section of Death and Transfiguration. No specific recording, just one note that changes the ENTIRE mood of a piece. Chilling.

Chuck"doesn't take much to define things for me"Jackson

The F# at the end of CBs Ego Sum Abbas. The snarl that can be put on that note!

Tchaik 5, 2nd movement, the lick that goes down to the F#.
4th movement, the lick that starts B-E and peaks at a G

Dvorak Cello Concerto 2nd Movement multiple places

Fantastique 4th mvt the Db arpeggio (the one that the Norton Scores don't highlight, even though it's the ONLY moving line!)

This is an excellent thread. It gets us talking like musicians instead of hardware addicts. I've had the good fortune to perform in quite a few good amatuer and semi-pro orchestras over the years, playing trumpet, French horn, bass trombone and tuba. There are so many glorious (or treacherous) single note passages for brass instruments in the orchestral literature, I'll be up all night thinking of them. Some of these that come to mind have already been mentioned by other posters; e.g., the low C in Death and Transfiguration; and that damned exposed Gb in Carmina Burana. (Luckily, I have yet to clam that Gb in performance situations but certainly have raised some eyebrows in rehearsals.)

Ace

One of my favorites, for three trumpets:

jeopardymaster wrote:The g flat (f sharp?) at the end of "Ego sum Abbas" in Carmina Burana.

I missed that once in rehearsal. With all the emphasis that note deserves.
And will never live it down. On the other hand, I'll never miss it again, either...

I just remembered one of the coolest spots, but it doesn't involve the tuba. In the second part of Mahler's 8th there is a spot that calls for 8 pairs of crash cymbals played pianissimo. If done right the effect is chilling, if not, well you get the picture.

Chuck

I'm big fan of triplets. I also really like the last note of Nimrod from Enigma Variations by Elgar.

Bruckner Symphony 7, Adagio
beginning of the recapitulation of the A section

Mark

I second Sibelius 2, the C major Chord is beautiful

Davy wrote:I second Sibelius 2, the C major Chord is beautiful

C major???

eupher61 wrote:C major???

The first note the tuba plays is a big fat low C that is the root of a C Major chord. Nice note. Great piece. I'm surprised no one has slavered over the stooooopid loud notes in the 2nd movement.

Chuck

One of my favorite phrases (Bruckner 4, mvt. 4)

At the end of the overture to Tannhauser, after 7-8 minutes of really blowing, you make a 2 octave leap to the E over the staff at full volume and proceed to do an E major arpeggio going down from there. An amazing moment that always leaves me shaking when done correctly. Seriously, how many times do you get to "swing from the toes" in that range? Exhilarating!

I'd forgotten about that C chord. As much as I've played the piece, that never really stuck out to me. But, 4th mvt, the deceptive cadence....not totally tuba involved, but wow!

Chuck, the long notes are in the 3rd movement. Bb's. Silly writing, but who cares, IMO?

Jay, I agree!