Customer Reviews

A Night at the Opera (Transcriptions for Brass)

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

 

 

This is a must have for any brass enthusiasts, Hardenberger and Lindberg are among the world's finest trumpet and trombone players! The performance is absolutely first rate, nice tone and wonderful showcase of technique! The transcriptions of opera arias are quite successful too. Perhaps the title is a bit misleading so I think amazon should clearly label this DVD as a brass, not vocal, performance.

This DVD is a real gem. Hardenberger and Lindberg give an excellent performance which showcases their fine technique and ability to control their instruments. Perhaps most importantly, they are able to convey their fine musicianship without the aid of the human voice. This is not an easy task when one considers that they are borrowing literature from the world of opera. Also, the setting of the art gallery in which the performance takes place is quite stunning. Bravo!

Read the program description BEFORE you purchase this product to avoid being disappointed with the content. OK, there is no singing on this program. But what you do have here are the best trumpet and trombone players before the public today. The performances are exceptional, and the program works well - it's enjoyable and tastefully done. It definitely deserves high marks. If you think you would be interested in a program of operatic transcriptions for brass, then this program is a joy.

No doubt we have two very good brass players here and the trombonist is no less impressing. Having said that one might as well point out that:

(i) this is a rather short ad hoc concert where the audience had nowhere to sit other than the floor, and the programme is short--less than an hour, and the accoustics of the venue leaves much to be desired;

(ii) the cameraman is not of top professional standard and the two cameramen just carried the camera on their shoulder and on one moment, the trumpeter was shot from the right, one split second from the left and then the next split second from the right again and it went on like this repeatedly for obviously no point at all;

(iii) the piano is or course the most convenient and ready accompiment, but sometimes a small brass ensemble or an organ or even an accordion could do a better job and of course that needs extra effort and special arrangement;

(iv) does a fugelhorn resemble human voice (a soprano) more than a trumpet? Why is a trumpet in C with a shorter length and higher pitch preferred to the usual Bb with a more mellow sound? It seems that the sound of a Bb would mixe with the trombone better to start with;

(v) singing is most difficult for an instrument like the trumpet. Furthermore, just like singing is more difficult with a piccolo flute (than the usual flute), it is even more difficult to sing with a C trumpet or fugelhorn.

So, naturally one would question whether they could change repertoire a bit, by holding the concert at a proper place and consider using better instrumentation and with their talents it would make a huge success since they are doing so well with the prelude of Carmen instead of the actual arias.

Beware ... there is no singing on this disk. It consists of three musicians -- Hakan Hardenberger, who modestly describes himself as the world's greatest trumpeter, and two young friends, a trombonist and a pianist, who play a number of transcribed opera and ballet tunes. Nice playing, but perhaps not what one would expect.