Favourite recordings

[Dave Payn]

I'll refrain from asking 'What's the best' as there are just soooo many recordings out there, we can't have listened to them all (well, you never know...)

Anyway, I thought I'd kick off a 'Favourite brass recording' thread but one that doesn't exclude the numerous percussionists who frequent this site!


[a] Favourite brass band recording
Favourite brass ensemble recording
[c] Favouriite percussion contribution to a brass recording

So for me: (Purely a humble opinion!)

[a] Pictures at an Exhibition - Britannia BS Snell
Fabulous playing throughout, fabulous music and I honestly think BBS's performance of Pictures marginally outshines PJBE's! A band at the very top of its form

{b} Toccata - English Brass Ensemble
It was a close call between this, the 20th Century Album (PJBE) and RAM Brass - A World Tour, but even though there's some recording 'trickery' going on (in multi tracking a 6 piece ensemble to play Widor's Symphony No. 5) it makes the end result all the more remarkable. The final Toccata, though it's not the greatest piece of music ever written, the playing still makes the hairs stand up on the end of my neck some 10 years after I bought the recording!

[c] London Symphony Brass - American Brass.
An all American programme as the album title suggests, with Copland, Bernstein (including a knockout recording of Prelude Fugue and Riffs) etc. and whilst the brass play magnificently, it wouldn't have the same impact without the superb percussion section (particularly in the West Side Story and Prelude, Fugue and Riffs)

So there's my lot. What about others?

Regards

 

[drummerboy]

For me (from my own collection), has to be
a) Vitae Lux - YBS conducted by David King
Truly breathtaking playing, especially from Iwan Williams and Peter Roberts.

b) The London Horn Sound CD. Some nice playing on that.

c) Hmmmm, tricky one! Being a percussionist myself, it's tricky! But, I'd have to say...Windows of the World by YBS, tasteful, yet comes to the fore when required (such as in the title piece)

 

[Mike Saville]

a) don't know havn't got any!! :shock:
b) Tuttis Trombones
c) with you there Dave - LSO Brass - American Bass.

 

[Okiedokie of Oz]

London Trombone Sound, Volume 1.

NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' BOUT, BAYBEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! 8) 8)

 

[andyp]

I finally managed to narrow (a) down to three;

Works of Berlioz (Faireys)

Essays in Brass Volume 1 (YBS)

Wagner (Grimethorpe)

but my favourite (just) is the Wagner recording. Fantastic arrangements (done, incredibly, from piano copies, by Alex Owen, and then lost in Australia and found again) and superb playing. Take an hour out, get a bottle of red wine, relax, and enjoy!

 

[James Yelland]

Best brass band recording: without a shadow of a doubt, Grimethorpe's From Sonnets to Jazz. A truly towering and inspired reading of Epic Symphony - the very best, I think - and a rendition of what must be Philip Wilby's finest work for brass - Unholy Sonnets - which is by turns dramatic, witty and bittersweet. And the real bonus is that Chandos are offering it at only about £4.50 at the moment. The best CD of the past ten years, I reckon.

 

[PeterBale]

I've just been listening to some of the most stunning (french) horn playing I have ever come across. The cd is entitled "Born for Horn", by the Hornenensemble der Hochschule "Mozarteum", and is on the Koch label (3-1535-2).

The recording consists of pieces for horn quartet (including the Hindemith Sonata) and ensemble works for 12 or 16 players. Although the music is predominantly from the 2nd half of the 20th century it is very accessible, with no little humour in a couple of items. The sounds produced are tremendous, with some fascinating sonarities explored, particularly in the works for large groups.

All of this only cost me £3.99 in the sale at Virgin records by Tottenham Court Road tube station and must be the bargain of the year :!: :wink:

 

[Dave Payn]

Peter, thanks for mentioning this. I bought my girlfriend the London Horn Sound last year and that's a magnificent recording too (as is the London Trombone Sound), so this one will have to go some to beat it, but at £3.99 it sounds just too good to turn down!

Regards

 

[blondie]

a) Apocalypse (Bourgeois -sp?) - YBS David King
b) Halle Brass Ensemble - Russlan & Ludmilla
c) Its got to be YBS again on the Bourgeois in Brass Album. It Rocks!!!

 

[Dave Euph]

Far too many to say ... and not enough either ... so I'll see what I can do ...

a) Fantasy for Euphonium - Fodens (Soloist: Nick Childs)
Simply because I love the piece and I love Nick Childs' playing. It's almost miniature concerto works well too. The playing throughout reflects perfectly how I think the piece should sound.

b) Few recordings I've heard but both the British Euphonium Ensemble (quartet) and Gomolan Brass (brass quintet) captivated me when I heard them live. I'll be looking out for any recordings they release (I believe Gomolan is imminent!).

c) Sorry, although I have heard many examples of excellent percussion playing, there are few recordings of particular works or bands which I can put my finger on as excelling. It is obvious I don't listen to them enough!

 

[John Brooks]

Tough task, but here's my list, not in any special order:

Festival of Brass '91
Essays Vol. 1, 2 and 3 - YBS
Cathedral Brass; Festival Music - Black Dyke
Renaissance; The Kingdom Triumphant - ISB
Tristan Encounters - Fairey
Brass Band Classics Vol. 1 and 2 - Cory
History of Brass Band Music Vol.1 - Grimethorpe (and probably Vol. 2-6 also!)

I'm certain of one thing and that is I would probably come up with a different list each time I attempted to compile one!!! :?

 

[Accidental]

Oooo this is so hard! My list, for today anyway, is something like this...
a) Sun Life - Ballet 8)
b) Howard Snell Brass - Jeux D'Enfants
c) YBS-WOTW

Every few months I get a new fave, but I always seem to go back to Ballet eventually - class playing and a great programme.

 

[John Brooks]

I just read the initial post and realized I only answered the first part. Probably my favourite brass ensemble recording is PJBE playing Spitfire Prelude and Fugue. For percussion I would choose a couple of band pieces with interesting and challenging parts such as Albion, The Holy War or The Call of the Righteous.

 

[Railybobs]

a) Blazon - ISB

b) Furioso - Halle Brass

c) Cry Of The Celts - YBS

a) Blazon was made for the Centenary year of the isb. It's a double disc with pieces such as Ball's Exodus and Condon's Present Age. Superb marches such as Under Two Flags by Marshall and my all time favourite devotional piece My All Is At The Alter by Morley Calvert. Beutiful piece which was played just as my soon to be wife arrived at the church so that i knew she had arrived.

b) This disc opens with Russlan and Ludmilla. A fairly unsteady start but kicks off a few moments later with some superb pic trumpet playing. also pieces like Tonight from west side story and the ritual fire dance.

c) I played percussion for Cry Of The Celts at Salford Uni under Dr King. So when i heard thaqt YBS had brought a CD out with the piece on I had to buy it. i have bought two copies and given both away after guests at my house have heard it and fallen in love with it. I'd say it sits behind the Essays series from YBS but still, a superb disc

 

[sunny_jimbob]

a) I once had a really really old tape called Black Dyke Plays Rossini, and the version of Bill Tell on that is phenomenal. It's one of my favourite pieces of music, and that version just blows me away. Alas, I haven't seen the tape in some years though

b) Found an MP3 on a CD a student gave me a while back of Versatile Brass playing Czardas. With the solo on trombone. While it may lose a bit of the sound/note quality, as a trombonist I just find it unbelievable to listen to!

c) Um, I'm afraid I don't listen specifically to Persussion parts, so I can't profess an opinion on that one edit: see? I can't even spell Percussion! :roll:

 

[Brian Bowen]

a) Blazon - ISB

b) Furioso - Halle Brass

c) Cry Of The Celts - YBS

a) Blazon was made for the Centenary year of the isb. It's a double disc with pieces such as Ball's Exodus and Condon's Present Age. Superb marches such as Under Two Flags by Marshall and my all time favourite devotional piece My All Is At The Alter by Morley Calvert. Beutiful piece which was played just as my soon to be wife arrived at the church so that i knew she had arrived.

Actually, "Under Two Flags" was written by Bramwell Coles, who was sometimes called the SA's March King (a la Sousa).

 

[PeterBale]

a) I once had a really really old tape called Black Dyke Plays Rossini, and the version of Bill Tell on that is phenomenal. It's one of my favourite pieces of music, and that version just blows me away. Alas, I haven't seen the tape in some years though

This is one of the Chandos Brass cds now on sale at about £5, so if I were you I'd splash out for a new copy :!: :wink:

 

[sunny_jimbob]

a) I once had a really really old tape called Black Dyke Plays Rossini, and the version of Bill Tell on that is phenomenal. It's one of my favourite pieces of music, and that version just blows me away. Alas, I haven't seen the tape in some years though

This is one of the Chandos Brass cds now on sale at about £5, so if I were you I'd splash out for a new copy :!: :wink:

Coo, thanks for that, I shall keep my eyes open for that one!

 

[Kerwintootle]

Best brass band recording: without a shadow of a doubt, Grimethorpe's From Sonnets to Jazz. A truly towering and inspired reading of Epic Symphony - the very best, I think - and a rendition of what must be Philip Wilby's finest work for brass - Unholy Sonnets - which is by turns dramatic, witty and bittersweet. And the real bonus is that Chandos are offering it at only about £4.50 at the moment. The best CD of the past ten years, I reckon.

My brother played bass trom on the CD and it is excellent.
1) Complete Champions - Dyke. Awesome. Phillip McCann is superb.

2) Howard Snell Brass - Jeux D'Enfants

3) By Request - Scottish Co-op. Sorry very biased but our percussion section are fab and they excel on this CD.

 

[Railybobs]

a) Blazon - ISB

b) Furioso - Halle Brass

c) Cry Of The Celts - YBS

a) Blazon was made for the Centenary year of the isb. It's a double disc with pieces such as Ball's Exodus and Condon's Present Age. Superb marches such as Under Two Flags by Marshall and my all time favourite devotional piece My All Is At The Alter by Morley Calvert. Beutiful piece which was played just as my soon to be wife arrived at the church so that i knew she had arrived.

Actually, "Under Two Flags" was written by Bramwell Coles, who was sometimes called the SA's March King (a la Sousa).

Has Exodus ever been released on a later CD of the ISB's?