ITG 2004

John Irish, Reporter

This concert featured three very fine brass quintets from Colorado. The trio of performances today further cements the reality of a wealth of great brass playing from the musicians in the state of Colorado.

The Aries Brass Quintet, in residence at University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, began the concert. An arrangement of J.S. Bach’s Air pour les Trompettes, appropriately opened their portion. The festive interplay of the two trumpets (our conference’s hosts again heard in fine form) was brilliantly performed and set the stage for another amazing concert of brass music. Joahnn Pachelbel’s Ciacona (fourth of a set of six originally for organ) is comprised of 22 variations over a ground bass. It was sensitively performed and demonstrated the excellent playing of all the individuals as well as a tight ensemble. Prayer for Bruno, by Art Lande, was written for area drummer, Bruno Carr. It featured Al Hood soloing over a gently moving chordal accompaniment by the rest of the group. Showing off his tremendous jazz chops, the piece ended with a modern hymn-like setting. Percy Grainger’s beautiful Sussex Mummer’s Christmas Carol, in Michael Allen’s arrangement for quintet, is a staple for the group. The gorgeous playing of this gem filled the hall with their wonderful musicality and elegance.

The Rocky Mountain Brass Quintet, faculty members of the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, presented Anabasis, by Joseph T. Spaniola, in its world premiere. Spaniola is an arranger for the United States Air Force Academy Band. Anabasis, a Greek word, describes the march of an army from the coast inland. The work opened with a moving, rhythmic statement in the brass contrasted with interrupted passages from the percussionist. The style offered bold harmonies and lines—visions of ancient Greece and an army on the march. A slower, lyrical section featured a solo trumpet accompanied by the other brass. Returning to the stronger, louder feel of the opening, one could imagine an army back on the move. A tuba solo gave way to a more rhythmically challenging and energetic closing section that highlighted the ensemble’s fine sound, precision, and confidence. This work, if published, should be receiving many more performances.

The Stellar Brass, from the United States Air Force Academy Band in Colorado Springs, began their performance with The Merry Bells of Speyer by Ludwig Senfl. The beautifully balanced sound and attacks of all five brasses was impressive. Following that, a drum set solo introduced the jazzy style of Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm and changed the pace of the concert by 180 degrees. After honoring our country with a presentation of The Star Spangled Banner they performed the fourth movement of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade, as arranged by one of the group’s trumpeters, Msgt Tim Allums. This incredible undertaking was played flawlessly and proved to be just as enjoyable performed by these six as for full orchestra. Bravo!

Closing their portion of today’s concert, they jazzed things up again with the Dixieland favorite, When the Saints go Marching In. Reminding all of a New Orleans Street Parade, including a brief “appearance” of Louis Armstrong, this lively number brought the enthusiastic audience to their feet. An encore of Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines in a very clever arrangement further delighted everyone. Congrats to SMSgt Steve Kindermann, the group’s director, for a stellar performance full of variety, panache, and virtuosity.