Just For Fun by Pat Stuckemeyer and Ellen Bottorff

Pat Stuckemeyer (Artist), Euphonium (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 13, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Potenza Music
• ASIN: B000E1YQ32
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #518,736 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Absolutely first rate. --R. Winston Morris - Prof. of Euphonium/Tuba Tennessee Tech

Product Description

In this first solo offering by Pat Stuckemeyer, every work is a recording premiere. This fresh approach to the instrument is well needed, and the menu offered here is a delight for lovers of any genre. The Concerto For Euphonium is by the American composer, Eric Ewazen. You will love the driving rhythms of the first and third movements, as well as the soft lyricism of the middle movement. The classic work Allerseelen is presented in a new arrangment by the performers. The classic Oboe Concerto by Domenico Cimarosa has been adapted by the soloist for euphonium and piano. A fresh work by Ohio-based composer, Noah D. Taylor brings a soft side to the back half of the album. This standard, the Five Pieces In Folk Style has yet to be commercially available until now. This stunning arrangment by Dr. Paul Droste allows the soloist to make beautiful music originally written for the cello. In the final offering, the Duo Concertante is by Kansas native, James Barnes. This work is a duet for euphonium and trumpet. You will absolutely love this fast lively work that frames a soft lyrical section. The ending is full of fireworks and technique, leading up to a final bang at the end! You will absolutely love not only the musicality of this album, but the wide variety of selections for your ear to hear.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Exciting Debut, January 23, 2006

By 

Tom Szott (Lawrence, KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Just For Fun by Pat Stuckemeyer and Ellen Bottorff (Audio CD)

For the few among you who are avid collectors of classical euphonium recordings, this is one you should definitely add to your collection. For the rest of us, it's a great way to get started. Pat Stuckemeyer's debut CD, "Just For Fun," has a little of everything; most importantly, exciting new music and very fine playing. This is a very intimate recording, obviously the product of intense collaboration between Stuckemeyer and pianist Ellen Bottorff, which displays Stuckemeyer's velvet-smooth sound and Bottorff's talent as a collaborative artist.

The first three tracks represent the first recording of well-known composer Eric Ewazen's new euphonium concerto; Stuckemeyer and Bottorff deliver a clean, crisp performance of what promises to be an enduring work. Next is "Allerseelen," by Richard Strauss, arranged for euphonium and piano by Stuckemeyer and Bottorff. Stuckemeyer also arranged the next piece, Domenico Cimarosa's "Concerto for Oboe," which is one of the real highlights of the CD. Both Stuckemeyer and Bottorff deliver stylistically superb performances, and Stuckemeyer's playing exhibits both excellent command of the upper register and a keen sense of musicianship. "Romance," by Noah Taylor, was written for Stuckemeyer by the composer, and is a fine, if short, piece. "Five Pieces in Folk Style," by Robert Schumann, display the talents of both soloist and collaborative artist in a variety of different styles. The final work on the CD, "Duo Concertante," by well-known band composer James Barnes, highlights Stuckemeyer's excellent technique. For this last piece, Stuckemeyer and Bottorff are joined by Justin White on trumpet. White delivers an excellent technical performance, made all the more enjoyable by his warm, beautiful sound. This piece features difficult unison technical passages, which the two soloists perform extremely well.

"Just for Fun" represents a collection of new works and arrangements, never previously recorded in this format. Pat Stuckemeyer delivers an excellent performance, negotiating musical difficulties with an ease that makes him very easy to listen to, especially with Ellen Bottorff as the collaborative pianist.

As its title suggests, "Just For Fun" won't hit you over the head; it won't stun you with huge dynamics or jaw-dropping technique. Instead, Pat Stuckemeyer, Ellen Bottorff, and Justin White offer a comfortable, musically satisfying product you'll want to listen to over and over. It's an enjoyable exploration of some fun new music, delivered by a young soloist who promises great things to come.