Chamber Brass

A brass ensemble rarely performs on stage alone. It usually supports the orchestra in moments of triumph, dramatic turns, or grand fanfares. But when it takes center stage, it reveals remarkable flexibility. It can be the voice of a royal court, an instrument of irony, a vehicle for seriousness, or a medium for stylistic play. This concert is a showcase of roles, like in a repertory theater: different aesthetics, one ensemble.

The concert opens with Music for the Royal Fireworks by Georg Friedrich Händel, arranged for brass ensemble. The original 1749 composition was scored for orchestra with an expanded brass section and no violins, according to the wishes of George II of Hanover, King of Great Britain. It was composed to celebrate the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, which ended the War of the Austrian Succession. This transcription highlights the fanfare-like nature of the work, where the brass not only supports but also leads the musical rhetoric.

A completely different language is found in Brass Symphony by Jan Koetsier, one of the first 20th-century works explicitly written for brass ensemble. Koetsier, a Dutch composer who worked primarily in Germany, collaborated extensively with brass groups in Munich. His 1979 symphony is technically demanding and full of stylized allusions, ranging from classical order to grotesque dialogue.

The Suite from the opera María de Buenos Aires by Astor Piazzolla is one of the most significant works by the renowned Argentine composer. In this concert, it will be performed in a unique arrangement for brass instruments by Steven Verhelst. This version offers the piece a new sonic dimension while preserving its inherent melancholy, dramatic flair, and the distinctive harmonies and rhythms of tango that define Piazzolla’s style.

Bruckner Etude by Enrique Crespo is a conscious paraphrase of a musical style. Crespo, a trombonist and founder of German Brass, created a new piece inspired by Bruckner’s symphonic language, utilizing his harmonies, tension-building techniques, and massive textures. It shows how much can be expressed using just a few brass instruments.

Bruckner Etude by Enrique Crespo performed by Noord-Nederlands Trombone Ensemble:

The concert ends with Passacaglia in C minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, originally written for organ. In this transcription for brass ensemble, it is surprising with its austerity and clarity. Each layer of counterpoint is presented clearly, as if carved in stone. It is Bach in an analytical form, without embellishment or atmospheric haze.

This concert is more than a display of instrumental skills. It is a musical narrative about changing styles and identities, showcasing how a brass ensemble can adapt to aesthetics ranging from the Baroque period to the 20th century, and how one group of instruments can convey a multitude of musical languages.

Passacaglia in C minor by Bach performed by The Barclay Brass: