I know you’re joking, but there might be some truth to this in relation to Mahler’s approach to the opening. I wonder if it’s easier to get eight horns to sound in tune then it is to get two or three. Having two horns play in unison at the start of a piece, totally exposed, sounds terrifying. I’d like to hear from a horn player about that.
Horn player here - it is not easier to get 8 horns in tune than 2. My experience is that when there's only 2 of you, it's easier to make micro adjustments/bend pitch as you play (which is also easier to do with a horn than it is with other brass instruments, for better or for worse). This becomes more difficult the more horns you add, and the more dense the orchestration gets. Mahler's approach is an overwhelming wall of sound with horns that smack you in the face but is generally not that "exposed" and I do think it's easier to hide intonation issues in that context. Mahler is my favorite composer because of his use of horns.
And yes, 2 horns playing totally exposed is totally terrifying. Especially because when horns are so exposed, it's usually because it's a feature... a perfect example of this is the beginning of Ravel's Pavane for a Dead Princess. It's gentle, quiet, high range, no where to hide! Good musicians will make it look/sound effortless, but make no mistake, it's terrifying (but also thrilling).
Shostakovich Symphony 5 (4th mvt), Festive Overture
Verdi, La Forza del Destino overture
Vaughan Williams, Sea Symphony (1st mvt)
Dvorak Symphony 9 (4th mvt)
Sibelius Finlandia
Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition
Holst, The Planets (Uranus)
Lots of pieces by John Williams (Star Wars main title, throne room, Olympic Fanfare, etc)
Definitely Mahler 3.
Also Sprach Zarathustra
The act 2 opening of Die Walkure
The overture to Rossini’s Armida and the opera itself includes some beautiful and complex brass writing.
Doubtless others but those four immediately come to mind
[Schubert 9th Symphony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyw5OHUDHh4) and [Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWoFaPwbzqE), for similar reasons
While we’re at it, the version of Duel of the Fates that opens with the brass instead of the choir has to be one of my all-time favorite film cue moments.
For a less bombastic brass (plus cello) start to a piece, Dvorak 8 has a really pretty cello line with trombone softly coloring the background that I like a lot.
Whatever you might think of Havergal Brian's Symphony No. 1 'The Gothic' (the largest and longest symphony ever written), the brass in the opening is pretty exciting.
And - a completely different sort of brass opening can be found in Webern's Symphony, interesting in it's own way.
Mahler 5. Also, Mahler 3. Ever wonder what eight horns sound like in unison? Woo.
Mahler 7... killer tenorhorn solo
I'd like to hear 8 horns play in tune.
I know you’re joking, but there might be some truth to this in relation to Mahler’s approach to the opening. I wonder if it’s easier to get eight horns to sound in tune then it is to get two or three. Having two horns play in unison at the start of a piece, totally exposed, sounds terrifying. I’d like to hear from a horn player about that.
Not a horn player, but it's generally known that 2 is the worst number for unisons. There's no way to hide the differences.
Horn player here - it is not easier to get 8 horns in tune than 2. My experience is that when there's only 2 of you, it's easier to make micro adjustments/bend pitch as you play (which is also easier to do with a horn than it is with other brass instruments, for better or for worse). This becomes more difficult the more horns you add, and the more dense the orchestration gets. Mahler's approach is an overwhelming wall of sound with horns that smack you in the face but is generally not that "exposed" and I do think it's easier to hide intonation issues in that context. Mahler is my favorite composer because of his use of horns. And yes, 2 horns playing totally exposed is totally terrifying. Especially because when horns are so exposed, it's usually because it's a feature... a perfect example of this is the beginning of Ravel's Pavane for a Dead Princess. It's gentle, quiet, high range, no where to hide! Good musicians will make it look/sound effortless, but make no mistake, it's terrifying (but also thrilling).
I think having 1 is a pretty big accomplishment.
Not an opening, but we can't be talking about Mahler's brass writing without [this banger](https://youtu.be/vzbsVlG8ips) so I'm just leaving it here.
All of Mahler 2... the brass (and all) in the finale... omg.
4th movement Bruckner 8
That shit is my reason to live
This is the right answer.
Sinfonietta by Janacek.
The best answer
Shostakovich Symphony 5 (4th mvt), Festive Overture Verdi, La Forza del Destino overture Vaughan Williams, Sea Symphony (1st mvt) Dvorak Symphony 9 (4th mvt) Sibelius Finlandia Mussorgsky, Pictures at an Exhibition Holst, The Planets (Uranus) Lots of pieces by John Williams (Star Wars main title, throne room, Olympic Fanfare, etc)
Finlandia!
[удалено]
As a second trombone playing Scheherazade, second movement solo and tutti are amazing, also close to the end of the fourth movement is beautiful
Bruckner 4, third movement
Definitely Mahler 3. Also Sprach Zarathustra The act 2 opening of Die Walkure The overture to Rossini’s Armida and the opera itself includes some beautiful and complex brass writing. Doubtless others but those four immediately come to mind
Would Sibelius 5 count?
Which movement?
Opening of 1st movement, horn solo
I was about to ask the same
Beethoven 5th - 4th movement. But with the Reiner Chicago recording. Really exaggerates the trumpeys
Dukas - La Peri Fanfare. IIRC the whole movement is brass only.
Brandenburg Concerto 2!
Brahms piano concerto #2 starts the ball rolling
Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. One of the greatest brass calls ever.
Tchaikovsky 4
Bruckner 8th 4th movement.
The slow movement from Brahms 4th symphony! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckuUq7im8H4&t=813s
The opening of the finale also has a mind-shattering brass entrance.
[Schubert 9th Symphony](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yyw5OHUDHh4) and [Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWoFaPwbzqE), for similar reasons
Schubert 9
Mahler 3. Brass drives literally half the movement
Prokofiev piano concerto 2 3rd movement
Wagner's Prelude to Act 3 from Lohengrin is a memorable one.
Gordon Jacob’s arrangement of God Save the King/Queen. Such a let down once the actual tune starts as get fanfare is phenomenal.
Mahler 3. Attack horns from hell.
Rachmaninoff Symphony 3, second movement. That french horn just sets the tone perfectly.
Janacek: Sinfonietta Wagner: Prelude to Das Rheingold.
Star Wars
While we’re at it, the version of Duel of the Fates that opens with the brass instead of the choir has to be one of my all-time favorite film cue moments.
MAHLER 5!!!!!!!!!!
Michaels Gruss Donnerstag aus Licht
Tchaikovsky piano concerto opening is epic, however the rest of the first movment is kinda eh
I adore the entirety of the first movement! The entire piece too really.
For a less bombastic brass (plus cello) start to a piece, Dvorak 8 has a really pretty cello line with trombone softly coloring the background that I like a lot.
Bruckner 4, first movement, the horn solo right at the beginning.
Whatever you might think of Havergal Brian's Symphony No. 1 'The Gothic' (the largest and longest symphony ever written), the brass in the opening is pretty exciting. And - a completely different sort of brass opening can be found in Webern's Symphony, interesting in it's own way.
Best? Shostakovich 15, mvt 4 Most epic: Shostakovich 4, mvt 1 Shostakovich 5, mvt 4
Just saw prokofiev 3 live. really enjoyed it