Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Classical Music - Sunday 31 May 2015, 9pm

Who are the greatest brass players ever? Catherine Bott has some suggestions.

In this, her 80th show in a 150-part series, Catherine Bott asks: “Who are/were the greatest brass players?” 

The oldest virtuoso under review is Jean-Baptiste Arban, born 190 years ago, whose compositions and playing pushed the cornet to dazzling peaks. The youngest featured tonight is Norwegian trumpeter Tina Thing Helseth, one of today’s leading brass players.

POLL: Are these the ten best brass players ever >

Along the way, Catherine will encounter, among others, the great French trumpeter Maurice André, the legendary horn player Dennis Brain (pictured), contemporary natural horn master Pip Eastop, the brilliant Wynton Marsalis, fine trombonist Joseph Alessi and the showman of the tuba, Oystein Baadsvik.