Brass Around the World

Prince of Wales Brass (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 19, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Asv Living Era
• ASIN: B0000030YR
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #571,621 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Fanfare Trionfale

2. Karelia Ste: Alla Marcia

3. Marche Militaire Francaise

4. Appalachian Spring: Simple Gifts

5. Polovtsian Dances

6. The Barber Of Seville: Ov

7. The Swan

8. Slavonic Dance No. 8 in g

9. Requiem: Pie Jesu

10. Lohengrin: Elsa's Procession To The Cathedral

11. Kije's Wedding

12. Mlada: Procession Of The Nobles

13. The Girl With The Flaxen Hair

14. Humoresque

15. Fant On The Dragason

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brass Affectionato or not, you'll like this sleeper, December 2, 2000

By 

Instrumentalist (Michigan United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Brass Around the World (Audio CD)

This CD is largely a compilation of great orchestral melodies which have been very skillfully transcribed for brass ensemble. Full string orchestra favorites such as Polovetsian Dances (Strangers in Paradise), Marche Militaire Francaise, the Swan, and Alla Marcia from Karelia Suite have been artfully orchestrated for brass. Stately brass-intensive epics such as Elsa's procession and the procession of nobles are also included. It is a great, broad selection of (15) time honored pieces that many high school musicians have played, so there is positive nostalgia here too. You don't have to be a certified classic critic to enjoy it.

The individual instrumental parts can be distinguished (often the melody is played in a round, alternating between instruments) yet this is a traditional well-blended brass ensemble here and provides as a group, a controlled & balanced wall/volume of sound (as would be expected at the pro level). The mostly romantic selections are delicately orchestrated and played tenderly for an eight piece brass plus two percussionist ensemble. Brass consists of 3 trumpets (various types), three trombones (one acting as bass and/or baritone), one horn and one Tuba. The percussion is hardly noticable (and there are no gimmicks here like the addition of the electric guitars, synthesizers and the like which distract and cheapen the brass sound).

Although you'll spot a few very minor articulation and intonation (upper brass) misses, this is a fully pro artist ensemble (Birmingham Symph.), although it falls short of a Summit Brass or a Chicago Brass Ensemble. Quality is very good.

I would put this CD in the sleeper category because I suspect that many folks may go after the major orch. brass ensemble titles or other well knowns such as Empire, etc. AND the price is [great]. I (myself) selected it because something else was not available. Great value. A full pro, pure brass group here, with a great selection of pieces.