Voices of Brass

Khirkiyaan: Three Transformations for Brass Quintet  (2017) – Reena Esmail Watch the performance here. Today, I’m doing a live reaction post based on our class listening project. Of all the pieces we listened to, this one stood out the most. The performance features  Watson Brass , the faculty brass quintet from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts—where I initially began graduate school before transferring to the University of Iowa. Instead of my usual post analyzing the piece and highlighting the role of a single instrument, I want to focus on the recording quality and videography. Audio Quality The sound quality in this recording is exceptional. It was filmed in  Watson Hall , a beautifully designed recital space with incredible acoustics. Having worked in the hall’s audio/video recording booth and performed two recitals and a chamber concert there, I can confidently say it remains one of my favorite venues. Beyond the natural acoustics, it's clear that ...

Foundations of the Brass Quintet: Jean-François Bellon’s Brass Quintet No. 1 Hello, brass enthusiasts! Today, we’re going back to where it all started—the very first known piece composed specifically for the brass quintet:  Brass Quintet No. 1  by Jean-François Bellon. This work didn’t just introduce a new ensemble format; it set the stage for the brass quintet to be recognized as a legitimate chamber music ensemble. Without Bellon's pioneering efforts, the brass quintet might not have evolved into the genre we know and love today. So, let’s dive in and see what makes this piece so historically and musically significant! Introducing the Piece: Jean-François Bellon (1795–1862) was a French composer and violinist who, despite his primary career in string music, made a groundbreaking contribution to the brass world. His  Brass Quintet No. 1 , composed around 1848, was one of twelve quintets he wrote for this instrumentation—a format that had never been seriously explored bef...

  Voices in Brass; Blog #1 Hello, brass enthusiasts! Let’s kick things off with a true classic from the brass quintet repertoire: Victor Ewald's Brass Quintet No. 1 . Now, you might be thinking, "Ah, a trumpet player writing this? Bet we're diving straight into trumpet solos!" But plot twist, before I picked up the trumpet, I actually started out on the horn, and it is still my favorite brass instrument!. So today, we’re zooming in on the horn’s voice, why it’s absolutely essential in this ensemble setting, and what is does in this piece. We are also going to be basing today's post on a specific quintet, Center City Brass Quintet. I chose this group not only for their music ability, but because one of my trumpet heroes and one of my mentors, Ryan Anthony, was a part of this group and on this recording. Let's get into it! The Horn's Voice in Victor Ewald’s Brass Quintet No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 5 Introducing the Piece: Victor Ewald’s Brass Quintet No. 1 i...