# Music with awesome brass parts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 21, 2010, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217 "2010-03-21T06:16:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/1 "2010-03-21T06:16:30Z")
Just like the title suggests, name some music with really fantastic brass. It can be any genre–classical, jazz, etc. Inspired by the “good piano music” thread that I’m too lazy to find now. My picks: -[Finlandia](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgwr3wrenkQ) by Jean Sibelius, particularly the very beginning. I played this piece in high school, and at first our brass section made those opening chords sound like…I dunno, farting, or something. I was all “…the hell?” and then I listened to a professional performance and was floored. -[Fanfare for the Common Man](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBKl9Jcb9eU) by Aaron Copland. A little cheesy, I guess, but this piece gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/2 "2010-03-21T06:34:42Z")
This is maybe not what you had in mind, but the first thing that occurred to me was They Might Be Giants’ “Birdhouse in Your Soul,” specifically the version they did on the Tonight Show with Doc Severinsen and his band doing the backing brass part. [As seen here.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keI1VpkXPVY) Well, “Fanfare for the Common Man” came to mind too, but you mentioned it in the OP. 🙂 All right, and a bit obvious, but [the 1812 Overture](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW4C2h3lPac), especially the part in between 4:00 and 5:00 in that clip. And something a little more modern, Paul Hindemith’s trumpet sonata, [here performed by Wynton Marsalis.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj2ALeNYxCk) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/3 "2010-03-21T06:53:55Z")
Dukas, Fanfare from _La Peri_ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXJxHXe9FeQ](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXJxHXe9FeQ) Gabrieli, Canzona per sonare No. 2 [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7b-43oWwJM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7b-43oWwJM) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/4 "2010-03-21T08:24:58Z")
This probably isn’t at all what you had in mind either, but you did say “any genre” so if you like bright, fun pop, have an aural gander at the wonderful **Helen & The Horns** (I love her name too, Helen McCookerybook): [“Surrey With The Fringe On Top”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUCSVp9zQwM) [“Footsteps At My Door”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FIvMsZEEKI) [“Happy Ending”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuRvgGQHU84) [“Secret Love”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRPnNO2D3_g) [“Take Five”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSQcLezT7Hc) (instrumental) ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/5 "2010-03-21T08:29:42Z")
There are an endless number of marches with awesome brass parts. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/6 "2010-03-21T09:44:19Z")
Brother - CCS Play very loud, tell me what you think. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nCZdjVQBEfc/hqdefault.jpg "CCS - BROTHER") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCZdjVQBEfc) The Peanut Vendor - Stan Kenton This impressive to play it live, especially the flautist [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1_okd-n42p0/hqdefault.jpg "Stan Kenton - The Peanut Vendor") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_okd-n42p0) Here is a more laid back version, [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uc8S35k-SJs/hqdefault.jpg "Perez Prado- The Peanut Vendor") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc8S35k-SJs) Cherry pink and apple blossom white [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDjAN8sKb1A) How about something rather differant - David Byrne from his Knee Plays CD - The DVD is a bit crap but the music is pretty good. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EC8_4Xhn-qc/hqdefault.jpg "David Byrne - Knee Plays (3 of 10) - The Sound of Business") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC8_4Xhn-qc) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ngVGxYLRrZ0/hqdefault.jpg "David Byrne - Knee Plays (9 of 10) - In The Future") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngVGxYLRrZ0) Pick up the pieces -Average white band, check out that kilt! [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MfAJLGFWxYo/hqdefault.jpg "Average White Band - Pick up the pieces") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfAJLGFWxYo) ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/7 "2010-03-21T10:28:25Z")
I always love the brass at the end of [Keep the Customer Satisfied](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx6_0Do0qGQ) by Simon & Garfunkel. If you like brass, you may enjoy the album Searching For the Young Soul Rebels by Dexy’s Midnight Runners. Kevin Rowland shared your passion for brass and was heavily influenced by the groups on the Stax record label and it shows. For singles, [Show Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdxPhLP9ROg) and [Geno](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnoUlZnwYy4)are as good a representation as any. [Move on up](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z66wVo7uNw)by Curtis Mayfield is a fantastic brass driven song. [Got to Get You Into My Life](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LmG5lpkfb8)is pretty brass driven too. ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/8 "2010-03-21T10:43:17Z")
Couple more. The amazing Sam & Dave playing “[Soul Man](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57yUVBxt5cU)” to the world’s most polite audience. Features an astonishing horn section. Also, if you like Finlandia so much, you may also enjoy [Siegfried’s Funeral March](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a53s4jyCqqU) by Wagner. Or indeed Sibelius’ own corker, the [intermezzo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtIw5AkUEsE) from the Karelia suite ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/9 "2010-03-21T10:43:37Z")
I like the trumpet playing in OMD’s [Forever Live and Die](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54WLYP2PDzc). ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/10 "2010-03-21T10:56:38Z")
The British movie [Brassed Off](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8uoY9e5YVY) the greatest movie ever made about brass band music. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/11 "2010-03-21T12:02:41Z")
Since a huge part of most jazz bands, from combos to Big Bands, is the brass, it’s hard to nail down any specific groups or pieces. That said, sit back and let Nelson Riddle’s arrangement of [Frank Sinatra – I’ve Got You Under My Skin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xNR1tMN6IE) blow your socks off. Once you have heard this, you know what brass can be made to do! If you do like this, I can recommend others. I’d start with Miles Davis. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/12 "2010-03-21T13:01:36Z")
Couldn’t find a link to do it justice, but when I discovered Sinatra’s Fly Me To the Moon, that’s when I realized that horns could rock as hard as any gee-tar. Also, surprised no one’s mentioned early Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/13 "2010-03-21T14:34:41Z")
Most obvious: The fanfare in [William Tell Overture finale](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkymTHSbWe0). And if you really want brass, [listen to this version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjMWOzeuRiw). ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/14 "2010-03-21T15:44:07Z")
As alluded to above, here’s some John Phillip Sousa [Semper Fidelis](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--SVyKdx8u0&feature=related) [Stars and Stripes Forever](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znEePD1nJxo) Also, I’ve recommended this before in another thread, but [Shostakovich, Symphony 5, 4th movement](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogJFXqYEYd8) ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/15 "2010-03-21T15:52:38Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Couldn’t find a link to do it justice, but when I discovered Sinatra’s Fly Me To the Moon, that’s when I realized that horns could rock as hard as any gee-tar. > > Also, surprised no one’s mentioned early Chicago. Or **Blood Sweat and Tears** first album “Child Is Father To The Man”. Horns rock! ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/16 "2010-03-21T18:11:13Z")
“Goldfinger” - Shirley Bassey (music by John Barry, lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley). Slays me every time I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/17 "2010-03-21T18:17:42Z")
[“Procession of the Nobles”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOXw7Gb_FJU) by Rimsky-Korsakov (though he was always very generous with the brass section). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/18 "2010-03-21T18:30:31Z")
If you saw the James Stewart-Kim Novak movie _Bell, Book and Candle_ then you’ve heard [The Candoli Brothers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B730vITmPgc) and this clip is a decent sample. They’re boss trumpet guys! ---
**Author:** ![Promethea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Promethea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Promethea)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/19 "2010-03-21T19:38:08Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > “Goldfinger” - Shirley Bassey (music by John Barry, lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley). Slays me every time I hear it. I totally agree with this and love it too. Rest of the soundtrack album is pretty great too. Like this track which also features a ton of brass, bringing me back on topic: [Oddjob’s Pressing Engagement](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHl6WQCb5S8). ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217/20 "2010-03-21T19:43:03Z")
Burning Ring of Fire - the Mariachi horns make the song Johnny Cash claimed he heard this song (with horns) in a dream. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-with-awesome-brass-parts/533217.md?page=2)