Listening Presentation #3 - Formative Brass Quintets for Me

 Brass Quintet has been an important part of my musical background ever since I entered my undergraduate studies at South Dakota State University. Before the semester had even begun my freshman year, the head of the school of music knocked on my practice room door and asked me if I would be willing to join a brass quintet, and I ecstatically said yes. Ever since then, I have been involved in a brass quintet every year of my studies until now. 

Knowing that this last group presentation was an opportunity for us to highlight brass quintets that we had not talked about in class, I figured this would be the perfect time to talk about two works that have meant a lot to me over the years.


Suite from the Monteregian Hills - Morely Calvert

Suite from the Monteregian Hills performed by Colorado MahlerFest Brass Quintet
Daniel Kelly & Richard Adams, trumpets. Lydia Van Dreel, horn. Lucas Borges, trombone. Jesse Orth, tuba.

The Monteregian Hills are a range of hills around Qubec, Canada that erupt speratically from the Earth. Morley Calvert captures both the ridiculous nature of these hills along with their natural beauty. It is broken into four movements Marche, Chanson Melancholique, Valse Ridicule, Danse Villagedise. The final movement has quotes that are similar to folk songs of the region. 

My first year at Oklahoma State University our graduate brass quintet performed this piece for a New York Philharmonic Chamber Residency competition. We were fortunate enough to be able to have coaching lessons with Ethan Bensdorf for two months and then travel and perform in New York. This piece will always hold a special place in my heart.

Air of Manhattan - Niccola Ferro

Air of Manhattan as performed by the Principal Brass Quintet of the New York Philharmonic
PHILIP SMITH, MATTHEW MUCKEY, PHILIP MYERS, JOSEPH ALESSI, ALAN BAER

In a simmilar manner the last performance I played at Oklahoma State was at our Graduate Music College graduation, and we played this piece to send off the class I graduated with. When I hear this piece I immediatly reminisce all of my times at Oklahoma State and the amazing musicians I shared my two years with.

This piece sets to encapsulate a standard day in New York City, the piece starts calm and tranquil as the sun rises over Central Park. Suddenly, the group errupts in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, rapid rythms and interjections reflect the sparatic nature of the city. Yet through it all, the city calms down as the sun sets over Central Park once more and the cycle repeats. 

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