Celebration In Brass

Inspirational works abound on this recording. The compositions consistently embody the spirit of unity and new life. All these brilliant contemporary additions to the brass ensemble repertoire bring forth the precision, resonance, and uniformity of the Gabriel V Brass Ensemble and the Spirit of America Winter Percussion Ensemble. All of these works complement a concert stage or worship service equally well.

The program leans heavily on arrangements by James Curnow, who's written extensively for brass band, including arrangements of traditional music. The settings on offer here are all as professional as the playing. My favorite pieces on the program are Steven Sherrill's Variations on Down Ampney, based on a hymn tune by Vaughn Williams, and Curnow's Fanfare Prelude on Lobe den Herren, both of which transform their originals in the most interesting and memorable ways. The grand finale, Welsh composer Jenkins's Benedictus, has an appealing folksiness to it that's refreshing after the brasher settings of the American and Canadian composers.

The recording was set down at Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, a venue that has served other projects well, as I recall. But engineer John Newton's work is especially fine, capturing a real hall sound, with thrilling detail and transparency as well. Given the many virtues on display here, this DSD recording may well find a larger audience than brass fanciers or fans of hymn tunes in the arrangement."

Inspirational . . . good ensemble, and some beautiful moments.”