Richard Wagner's first intention for Der Ring des Nibelungen was a bass trumpet in 13' E♭, based on the instruments he would have come across during his dealings with military bands.

While it was argued during the late nineteenth century (Oskar Franz: Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau, 1884) that the instrument in question was actually pitched an octave higher, the instrument actually built by Moritz of Berlin on Wagner's personal instruction for the Munich theatre (according to Zeitschrift für Instrumentenbau, 1908) was pitched in 8' C with crooks for B♭ and A and sounded one octave lower than written.

Wagner wrote adventurously for his new addition to the brass section, exploiting open and muted effects, and extremes of range and dynamics.

György Ligeti used the bass trumpet as one of Nekrotzar's "Entourage" instruments in his opera Le Grand Macabre.

[4] In jazz music, Johnny Mandel became well known as a bass trumpet player, as well as Cy Touff and Raymond Premru in the 1950s and 1960s.

Rashawn Ross regularly plays bass trumpet with the Dave Matthews Band and has performed and recorded with Usher, Ludacris, Maceo Parker, Robert Randolph, and Roy Hargrove.