Customer Reviews

British Tuba Concertos

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having seen James Gourlay perform live several times, this collection of four English Tuba Concerti is among the best recordings around.Gourlay has typical Scottish sensibility and sound.His timbre is mellow with a very even vibrato that reminds one of a mellow trombone. This collection is not American Sousa oom-pah marches;rather it is serious and well rendered concerti for a mostly stereotyped instrument that generally provides nothing but base note beats.Each concerto is performed with both necessary gusto and the utmost of sensitivity.As a Conservatory grad who used to accompany all soloists,including the sousaphonists,Gourlay's sound and technique is A-1, and the Naxos recording is beautifully amplified and pleasant in all respects.Highly recommended.

This recording features the famous Scottish tuba soloist James Gourlay,
who's stunning virtuosity and touching musicality make this disc a must not just for tuba lovers but for every person who enjoys British music.

Well, I've never heard tuba concerto here in Mexico. And the reason may be that the tuba is not a very common instrument in this type of works. But after hearing this record, it has changed my opinion about this instrument. I thought it was just useful for marching tunes, but it seems to have a more wide use as it can be played faster, it seems that it can be a joyful (even if it looks tough) instrument. I hope that in Mexico this works would be played more often. It was indeed a good record.

This CD is a relatively inexpensive way to add recordings of some standard tuba literature to your library. However, I believe that there are discs of the Gregson and Vaughn Williams Concerti that feature better playing, better musical interpretation, and higher recording quality. Only recommended if you are on a tight budget and need a reference recording of any of these pieces.

Music was very boring. The so-called "concertos" did not meet my expectaions as a classical trained musician. That's why I applyed for a refund. I would not recommend that cd to anyone.