ITG 99 Conference Coverage

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Recital: Tim Morrison
Michael Stewart, reporter

The University of Kansas Trumpet Ensemble provided the prelude music for the recital by Tim Morrison. Their performance first presented the premier of James Barnes' Toccata. This piece featured a short, rhythmic subject in a fugato style, as well as bell tone passages. The ensemble was divided into three, 4-member choirs (flugels, cornets, and Bb's). Their second work,

Altenburg ensemble

Fantasia à 7 by Eric Ewazen, showcased arpeggiated figures, descending pyramids, and changing meters (primarily 4/4, 3/4, and 6/8). The seven parts are highly independent, and the writing is fairly thick. A lyrical, but still fairly quick, chorale divides the piece at its middle before returning to the opening style.

Tim Morrison, known for his work with the Bost

Tim Morrison

on Pops and as the dedicatee of John Williams' Trumpet Concerto, immediately showed that he is equally at home on the solo stage. The opening work, the Altenburg Concerto for 7 Trumpets and Timpani, was a triumphant, yet demure, performance. The three movements displayed fanfare and legato styles, with even the highest piccolo parts handled deftly and with much grace. Morrison was accompanied by trumpeters John Aley, ITG Conference Host Mike Davison, Wiff Rudd, Jeff Piper, Rex Richardson, and Kim Dunnick, and an unnamed timpanist. This omission was indicative of the only problem with this performance, that being the lack of movement titles for any of the pieces.

Morrison was then joined by Rebecca Wilt (at the piano) for the very well known Concerto in Eb by Haydn. Morrison's playing was extremely lyrical, refined, and gently articulated throughout the three movements. Particularly worth noting are Morrison's extended phrase and note endings, his inclusion of cadenzas in both the first and last movements, and the occasional rhythmic additions to the solo part.

The next work performed was Siete Canciones Populares Españolas, which are seven popular Spanish songs, in a transcription by Morrison. Again, the titles of these works were not given, but what came across was a wonderful selection of melodies and accompaniments which well served the many sound styles and qualities of Morrison's playing. Particularly interesting and enjoyable was the movement which harkened to the Miles Davis/Gil Evans Sketches of Spain recording.

The concert concluded with the Sextet of Oskar Böhme. For three trumpets (Tim Morrison

the Böhme ensemble

, Wiff Rudd, Rex Richardson), horn (David Ohanian), trombone (Alain Trudel), and tuba (David Townsend), this is a four movement piece much in the style of the Ewald quintets. Each instrument plays a major role, with no distinct soloist. Especially notable, however, is the tuba part. The ensemble performance of this work was quite good, especially with the assumedly limted rehearsal time.