Favorite orchestral short phrase or single note

[eupher61]

I second Sibelius 2, the C major Chord is beautiful

C major???

[Chuck Jackson]

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

[THE TUBA]

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

[Jay Bertolet]

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!

[eupher61]

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!

[Chuck Jackson]

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

The notes I referenced are the STUPID LOUD half note sequence in the slow movement. I believe the notes are F-E-D. Having played the piece at least 15 times throughout my career, they stick out in my mind as impressive. If you want to hear them played at the loudest, and IMHO best, way possible, get the Sibelius complete Symphonies with the BSO/Colin Davis. Chester lays waste to them. As they were recorded in the mid 70's, it is the definition of the perfect Alexander sound.

Chuck

Just checked my score: Look at the phrase starting 5 bars after D in the 2nd Movement. Pure wall of sound called for. The first three notes are a soli with the basses, cellos, and bassoons. Guess who wins that battle?

[Odins dog]

Another vote for the aforementioned notes in Sibelius 2.

Also Shosti 5 first movement th low F 1 measure before rehearsal 33, and the movement 4 phrase 5 measures before 112.

[thattubaguy]

Do Petrushka or an American in Paris count?

[ScottM]

I just played the Pines of Rome and the Bflat scale over five measures was fun due to the the rest of the brass builds off it. It happens towards the end of the fourth mvt.
ScottM

[mark38655]

B Major 4 note solo in Young Person's Guide

[thattubaguy]

B Major 4 note solo in Young Person's Guide

Yesss

[chronolith]

I just played the Pines of Rome and the Bflat scale over five measures was fun due to the the rest of the brass builds off it. It happens towards the end of the fourth mvt.
ScottM

Yeah that's a powerful moment. Almost makes up for the amount of time you sit there twiddling thumbs for the rest of the piece.

[Tom Mason]

String Bass perspective.......

Saturn from The Planets, first 45 seconds. Octave string bass soli section. Neat little motif on FBCB.

[Craig Garner]

My favorite single note....the G# in Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet
Go here, bar 471:
http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imglnk ... iet_II.pdf" target="_blank

[ftempas]

Db below the staff.

[peter birch]

Finlandia - 4 bars before letter F, if only for sounding like you're in 5/4 when playing in 4/4

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Glad nobody mentioned Tchaikovsky's Pas de Deux from the Nutcracker...

climatic moment when the brass take over with a descending fanfaresque line starting with the trumpets and horns which seamlessly weave to the high trombones giving it off to a fortissimo bass trombone and tuba finish.

The illusion of course when done right is this massive descending line sounding like it came from 1 amazing brass instrument.

Speaking of The Nutcracker, my favorite moment is from Act II (Don't remember the title/number), just after the mouse king gets killed at the climax of the sword fight. There are some mournful chords uttered by the trombones. The moment when the tuba finally joins in, is a very beautiful moment.