Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Flight of the Bumblebee

Rimsky-Korsakov was one of the group of Russian nationalist composers known as "The Five" - Modest Mussorgsky was also one of the group, and after Mussorgsky's death, Rimsky-Korsakov arranged much of his material now part of the common Orchestral Canon.

Mut Rimsky-Korsakov was a fine composer in his own right.  Probably his best known long piece is his Orchestral Suite "Scheherazade".  Undoubtedly, this is his most famous short piece.  You've very likely heard it.



It's insanely complicated, to the point that it is an irresistible challenge to musicians of all types.  If you need to prove your musical chops, this is the one to dust off.  The original score is for flute, but other instrumentalists pick up this gauntlet, too - for example, the Canadian Brass on Tuba:



Or here, with the U.S. Army Brass' Trombonist:



It ain't bragging if you can do it.