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- original music and arrangements -

Strange Lower Brass Instruments

Cimbasso

The cimbasso is a brass instrument in the trombone family, with a sound ranging from warm and mellow to bright and menacing. It has three to five piston or rotary valves, a predominantly cylindrical bore, and is usually pitched in C or E?. It is in the same range as a tuba or a contrabass trombone.

It is most commonly used in opera scores by Giuseppe Verdi from Oberto to Aida, and by Giacomo Puccini. Giuseppe Verdi, who at times specified a preference for the blending timbre of a low trombone over the heavier-sounding tuba, developed an instrument with the firm Pellit. In most of Verdi's operas the Cimbasso used nowadays are the common forms of the 'bucino' form: mouthpipe and middle section in front of the player, bell section forward pointed, in a downward angle pointed bell. This causes a very direct, concentrated projected sound towards conductor and audience.
-From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Los Angeles Cimbasso Choir  

Los Angeles Cimbasso Choir

Finlandia by Jean Sibelius >
Arranged for 4 euphoniums and 4 tubas by Gary Bricault. - Played by a Cimbasso Choir!
The familiar theme starts at arond 5:40

     
Cimbasso Excerpts  

Cimbasso Excerpts (G.Verdi Operas)

Alessandro Fossi - Cimbasso >

     
cimbassonista  

Cimbasso Solo - RBR 0.7.4

by cimbassonista
>"...a little counter point on the bass trombone and improvise on top"
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Basin Street Blues with cimbasso  

Basin Street Blues with cimbasso

Nice spoken intro explaining the instrument
Nice Dixieland Group (very tasty!)
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also... the Ophicleide

The ophicleide was invented in 1817 and patented in 1821 by French instrument maker Jean Hilaire Asté as an extension to the keyed bugle. Its long tubing bends back on itself, and it is played with a cupped mouthpiece similar to modern trombone and euphonium mouthpieces. It originally had nine keys, later expanded to as many as twelve keys, covering the large tone holes.
-From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ophicleide Summit in Berlin  

Ophicleide Summit in Berlin

"Das treue deutsche Herz" arr. Rob. Müller.
Nice!
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Ophicléide  

Fantaisie Johan Hummel

Fantaise pour alto et orchestre de Johan Hummel
Ophicléide: Patrick Wibart
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Sydney Ophicleide Quartet  

Sydney Ophicleide Quartet

A performance of Handels 'Concerto in F Major' (Adagio/Allegro)
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Ophicleide  

Andante et Rondo Hongrois

Carl Maria Von Weber
(Credits cryptic - I think this is really a valve trombone...)
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and lastly... the Orenohone in Eb

"a reconfigured tuba due to back/shoulder pain"

Orenohone  

Bandinerie from Bach's Orchestral Suite N° 2

Crisp...
Man - this guy can play!
Listen/View>

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