EugeneNOMS

-
If you didn't know this, french music is really challenging!  One of our great french composers is Eugene Bozza, a french native and extraordinary composer and violinist.  Eugene Bozza has composed works for several types of ensembles but is most known for his chamber music for winds.  One of his most important works for winds is his Sonatine for Brass Instruments (1951) which is in four movements:
I. Allegro vivo
II. Andante ma non troppo
III. Allegro vivo
IV. Largo - Allegro

This piece was premiered by the New York Brass Quintet at Castle Hill, MA in 1954.  The Sonatine for Brass Instruments was considered to be a catalyst for inspiring new compositions.  This composition leveled the playing field for brass musicians by requiring equal agility, technique, rhythmic precision and tonal control from each individual.

Fortunately I have been able to experience this piece as a performer.  I have to say that it is by far one of the most difficult pieces for brass quintet that I have ever played.  The biggest challenge for me was deciding what type of tuba I would use (bass or contra bass).  The range is very wide and extreme, stretching from the very low register to the very high register above middle c.  The rhythmic figures are so complex and can take a long while to get correct.  It is extremely important to have great aural skills as well because of the "awkward" intervals that are being presented.  This piece takes a lot of work but is very rewarding!

Here is a recording of Center City Brass Quintet performing Sonatine for Brass Instruments: Boom
Unfortunately I couldn't find this specific recording outside of spotify or itunes, but luckily it's not the end of the world.  All you have to do is connect your facebook to spotify and it's as easy as that. :)

Performing on this recording:
Anthony DiLrenzo and Geoffrey Hardcastle, trumpet
Richard King, horn
Ko-ichiro Yamamoto, trombone
Craig Knox, tuba

Another recording to listen to is the Asbury Brass Quintet, which is found on youtube!
Members of this quintet are:
Neal Berntsen, trumpet
Kevin Hartman, trumpetGregory Flint, hornMark Fisher, tromboneCharles Schuchat, tuba

 Allegro vivo
Andante ma non troppo
Allegro Vivo
Largo-Allegro vivo

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

American NOMS Quintet

-
The American Brass Quintet is one of the leading ensembles of its kind.  They are based in New York and have been extremely successful since they were established in 1960.  One of the many things that makes this quintet unique is that they do not use tuba as their lowest voice, instead they use the bass trombone.  The choice of using bass trombone instead of tuba might have had to with the performance of Baroque and Renaissance music at the time.   Some of the earlier members of this ensemble were involved in New York’s early music scene that included instruments like the cornett and sackbut. However, it is also said that trombonist Arnold Fromme had contacted Harvey Phillips and told him about the American Brass Quintet and wanted him to play tuba in it.  Phillips would have to decline since he had already pledged to the New York Brass Quintet. Although Phillips declined Fromme’s offer he would recommend other tuba players, but Fromme and co-founder Gilbert Cohen decided to organize
Read more

Sotto Voce NOMSSSSSSS

-
Image
In my last post I mentioned the tuba euphonium quartet,  Sotto Voce .    Well, I want to talk about them now!  This group was founded in 1996.  They are internationally known, America's premiere professional quartets of its kind and one of the world's leading low brass ensembles.  Sotto Voce consists of two euphoniums and two tubas.  The euphonium members of this quartet are Demondrae Thurman and Mark Carlson.  The members who play tuba are Mike Forbes and Nat McIntosh.   Sotto Voce has been a blessing to the euphonium and tuba community.  Each of the members of this quartet perform at an extremely high level.  Luckily for us, they have been the center of attention for new music for euphonium and tuba type ensembles.  Many of the compositions that we have today for this type of ensemble comes from them commissioning music and composing music themselves.  Mike Forbes, tuba, has written several pieces that have been featured on their albums.  Composers have also seen what
Read more

Ewazenoms :)

-
Eric Ewazen is an American composer and teacher. He has written music for many different ensembles and solo instruments.  There are some people out there that don't think very highly about his writing, maybe because a lot of his music sounds "the same".  I have to say that I enjoy his style of writing, and have never been bothered by the consistency in his sound that he creates with his writing.  I'd have to describe it as uplifting and mysterious at times. Not too long ago I heard a piece by Eric Ewazen, Grand Canyon Octet .  When I heard this it was being performed by the Juilliard Trombone Choir.  I enjoyed this piece a ton and it was performed impressively by the trombone choir.  Looking into this piece more I discovered that it was originally written for horn octet, I enjoyed it even more! Here are program notes from the composer: "The Grand Canyon Octet was commissioned by Thomas Bacon and the Arizona State University Horn Ensemble, to whom the work i
Read more