Foster: Foster for Brass

G.W.E. Friederich (Composer), David C. [Composer] Hall (Composer), Stephen [1] Foster (Composer), Edward Little White (Composer), Claudio S. Grafulla (Composer), James Bellak (Composer), J.P. King (Composer), Septimus Winner (Composer), William Ratel (Composer), Alfred Squite (Composer), Chestnut Brass Company (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Chestnut Brass Company
• Composer: G.W.E. Friederich, David C. [Composer] Hall, Stephen [1] Foster, Edward Little White, Claudio S. Grafulla, et al.
• Audio CD (May 18, 2004)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Naxos American
• ASIN: B00007FPFS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #127,408 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stephen Foster Played by a Saxhorn (not saxophone) Quintet, June 20, 2004

By 

J Scott Morrison (Middlebury VT, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Foster: Foster for Brass (Audio CD)

Imagine a post-Civil War family trooping to the town square on a fine summer evening to hear the town band play a concert of arrangements of popular tunes, that gentler period's equivalent of a rock concert of today. That's essentially what we have here. The Chestnut Brass Company, a Philadelphia brass quintet which on occasion plays on everything from Baroque sackbuts to the most modern trumpets and trombones, here plays on instuments of the saxhorn family. Saxhorns, invented by Adolphe Sax, the fellow who also invented the better-known saxophone, are brass instruments perfected in the 1840s. Their conical bore projects a uniquely sweet and mellow sound. They were exceedingly popular for town bands during the latter half of the century, but their use had waned by the turn of the 20th century. This quintet consists of an E flat soprano, a B flat soprano, an E flat alto, a B flat baritone, and a E flat contrabass saxhorn. The dulcet tones and sonic blend are a marvel to behold. Partly, of course, this is due to the expert playing by Bruce Barrie, Susan Sexton (or is it SAXton?), Marian Hesse, Larry Zimmerman, and Jay Krush.

Stephen Foster wrote very little purely instrumental music, but his songs fostered (pun unavoidable) innumerable instrumental arrangements. Those heard here are taken (and sometimes re-arranged) from the playbooks of such 19th-century bands as the Manchester, New Hampshire town band, the Boston Brass Band and the brass band of the 26th Regiment of North Carolina, not to forget the U.S. Marine Band. The tunes are arranged into quicksteps, waltzes, marches, schottisches and potpourris. Most of the familiar tunes are here: 'Beautiful Dreamer,' 'I Dream of Jeannie,' 'My Old Kentucky Home,' 'Camptown Races,' 'Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming,' and 'Some Folks Do' as well as plenty of relatively unfamiliar songs. And because these arrangements come from all over some of the tunes appear several times like old friends. Some of my own favorites are 'Some Folks' arranged by W. L. Baccus, 'Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming' arranged by Bruce Barrie, 'Camptown Quick Step' arranged by Jay Krush, and 'Gentle Annie' from the U.S. Marine Corps Band archives.

As an unabashed fan of the music of Charles Ives, I can't hear these arrangements without wondering which of these tunes Charlie heard (and played) when his own father, a former Civil War bandmaster, led his town band in Danbury, Connecticut.

Recommended for brass band lovers, Stephen Foster fans, and folks who like, say, the sound track to Ken Burns's 'Civil War' PBS documentary.

TT=68:49

Scott Morrison

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars thanks again, naxos!, April 3, 2007

By 

fluffy, the human being. (forest lake, mn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Foster: Foster for Brass (Audio CD)

naxos is the greatest budget label of all-time. i've gotten so many great discs from them, and never a bummer. as for this disc, it's a great idea(arrangements of the songs of stephen foster for 19th century brass band, performed on period instruments), wonderfully executed. i have many recordings of stephen foster material, and this is one of the best. this brass band sounds fantastic and the audio quality is very very fine. i highly recommend that you make this a part of your household.

4.0 out of 5 stars All-brass Foster is very different and entertaining, November 8, 2011

By 

David Garnes (manchester, ct United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Foster: Foster for Brass (Audio CD)

Although the title of this disk is self-explanatory, I was nevertheless surprised to hear Foster's songs interpreted and played by an all-brass ensemble. The effect is decidedly a departure from the usual vocal or sweet orchestral arrangements. I'd recommend this album especially for lovers of Foster's music. It's a different take, and you'll like it, particularly after a few listens.