Customer Reviews

Taking Flight: Music for Euphonium and Orchestra

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Many years ago I was an excellent euphonium player in high school (first chair in California Honor Band), and I performed in college Wind Ensembles --so I consider myself to be a pretty good judge of euphonium music.

Adam Frey's technique, range, virtuosity, and musicality are almost beyond belief. I would not hesitate to compare him to other great brass players such as Cerminaro on the French Horn, Gordon Jacob on the Tuba, and Maurice Andre on the trumpet. He can play cleanly at a breakneck pace one moment -- and then play with sublime softness and finesse the next. His range on this album goes from the lowest notes possible on the instrument up to a "super" F -- but even the highest notes never sound strained. The variety of music on this album is also quite enjoyable -- from transcriptions of older classical music to modern compositions that make Arban's Carnival of Venice seem easy by comparison. While I have never been a big fan of most modern composers, I very much enjoyed the more contemporary selections in this album.

I have listened to albums that feature other outstanding euphonium players such as Mark Fisher and Brian Bowman, but using a full orchestra (instead of just a piano) to accompany the soloist makes this album one that I want to listen to again and again.

I haven't played the euphonium in a couple of decades, but listening to Adam Frey's mastery of the instrument makes me want to lube up my instrument and start practicing again!

The orchestra backing Adam Frey on the euphonium is a wonderful combination. I thoroughly have enjoyed listening to this cd. My favorite piece on this album is Gabriel's Oboe (Nella Fantasia.)