C Gabriel!, Scheldt, Bach, Purcell, Henze, Siebert, etc

The Berlin Philharmonic Brass Ensemble gives brilliant performances of these varied virtuoso pieces, dating from the 16th century to today, distinguished by perfect ensemble playing caught in first-class sound in an ideal ambience, with optimum reverberation so that the glorious brass sonorities ring out with utmost clarity. Gabrieli's Canzona for three brass choirs has great spatial splendour, Scheldt's four-trumpet Canzon-Cornetto is a triumph of intricate canon and fugal writing.

Our rating

5

Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:49 pm

COMPOSERS: Bach,C Gabriel!,etc,Henze,Purcell,Scheldt,Siebert
LABELS: DG
ALBUM TITLE: Collection: Berlin Brass
WORKS: Works by C Gabriel!, Scheldt, Bach, Purcell, Henze, Siebert,
PERFORMER: Berlin Philharmonic Brass Ensemble
CATALOGUE NO: 457 864-2

The Berlin Philharmonic Brass Ensemble gives brilliant performances of these varied virtuoso pieces, dating from the 16th century to today, distinguished by perfect ensemble playing caught in first-class sound in an ideal ambience, with optimum reverberation so that the glorious brass sonorities ring out with utmost clarity. Gabrieli's Canzona for three brass choirs has great spatial splendour, Scheldt's four-trumpet Canzon-Cornetto is a triumph of intricate canon and fugal writing. The nine-movement arrangement of Purcell's Abdelazer, including the fine, noble tune made famous by Britten, is majestic, tender and vigorous by turn. Christopher Mowat's arrangement puts an interesting, colourful spin on Bach's Third Brandenburg-Concerto while still preserving the essentials of the original, and there are some astonishing chiaroscuro effects in an arrangement of Handel's The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba.. The programme culminates in two pieces commissioned by the players: a brief sonata by Henze who admits that 'it grates and groans under the friction of dissonances' and Siebert's 1992 light-hearted Rondeau de Blech, full of good humour and pranks like boozy glissando effects and unorthodox 'on the mouthpiece' techniques in movements with titles like Animato jazzando'. Heartily recommended. Ian Lace

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