In recent years the CANADIAN BRASS has been widely celebrated for its truly innovative repertoire. Through a steady, well-defined strategy of commissioning music over a period of thirty-five years, the ensemble has developed one of the most significant bodies of repertoire for any instrument or group of instruments. CANADIAN BRASS opened up the world of North American jazz to brass instruments through collaboration with Luther Henderson, developed a body of Beatles and Bernstein music with Christopher Dedrick and created a classical masterpiece collection through the work of Frederic Mills. What was for CANADIAN BRASS an urgent necessity has become a blessing for a world of succeeding brass ensembles, with many creating their own career paths based on CANADIAN BRASS repertoire.

This CD displays the breadth of musical interests of CANADIAN BRASS, including a major contribution to the brass quintet repertoire by distinguished composer and conductor Bramwell Tovey, an investigation of the haunting music of Piazzolla realized by Josef Burgstaller, classic CANADIAN BRASS through the work of Frederic Mills and of course, the magic of the HORN.

The Music

1 With You I’m Born Again, arranged by Christopher Dedrick
Josef Burgstaller, flugelhorn

One of the most beautiful ballads from the golden age of Motown, With You I'm Born Again reached #4 on the 1980 pop-music “Billboard” charts. Originally a vehicle for singers Syreeta Wright and Billy Preston, this music has become a showcase for Joe and his flugelhorn. Joe adds his own melodic improvisation as the other Brass performers weave through the romance.

2 - 5 Cuatro Tangos by Astor Piazzolla, arranged by Josef Burgstaller

“The world does not accept ugly music. It wants something more elaborate, quality” - Astor Piazzolla (1921-92). Piazzolla was the Gershwin and the Ellington of the tango, evolving the form to a higher plane of art while successfully keeping the spirit and performance practice of its colorful past.
Libertango, a deliberate weaving of what Piazzolla termed an “international” tango, highlights trombone and trumpet with exhilarating raw and vibrant melodies.

Contrabajeando started life as a contrabass feature for the genre's premiere bassist, "Kicho" Díaz. It now lives as a premier virtuoso tuba showpiece. Oblivion was originally written for one of Piazzolla’s many movie soundtracks. This hauntingly beautiful music provides a vehicle for Joe to artistically navigate through the long musical lines. Fracanapa exudes the frenetic energy of the Nuevo Tango, the revolutionary tango movement at which Piazzolla stood at the fore. It features “howling” trombone colours and the horn’s musical “roar”.

6 Caprice No. 24 by Niccolò Paganini, arranged by Dale Fawcett
Jeff Nelsen, horn

Jeff Nelsen was evidently destined to play Paganini’s Caprice No. 24. His wonderful facility on the horn makes this Caprice a natural vehicle to show off his virtuosity. Paganini was rumoured to have sold his soul to the devil in order to accomplish the “impossible” on the violin. Now critics everywhere are wondering if Jeff perhaps has done the same!

7 - 10 Santa Barbara Sonata by Bramwell Tovey
Dedicated to Dr. David Kuehn

Bramwell Tovey's Santa Barbara Sonata was commissioned in 2004 by the Music Academy of the West (Santa Barbara, California) for CANADIAN BRASS, the Academy's Artist Group in Residence. It is dedicated to Dr. David Kuehn, the Academy's president from 1993 to 2004. Maestro Tovey guest conducted at the Music Academy and made an extremely fine impression on both performers and faculty. Each of the four movements of this Sonata reflects Bramwell’s own experiences and observations while at the Music Academy.

Tovey recalled,“Chaperoning the students at the Academy is a difficult task - the staff tread a Cakewalk on a Tightrope.” The second movement, Preacher on the Pier, is a portrait of the famous Santa Barbara pier, a popular tourist attraction. Melodic tuba lines buoy this movement, while the familiar hymn Nun Danket Alle Gott is “preached” by piccolo trumpet. Magic Horn Tango of course features horn, with muted trumpet as a foil leaving “magic dust” in its wake. The Sonata concludes with State Street Stomp, a wonderfully boisterous portrait of downtown Santa Barbara after dark.

11 Concerto in G Major, BWV 973 by Vivaldi-Bach, arranged by Frederic Mills
Josef Burgstaller, piccolo trumpet

“Bach was very taken with Vivaldi’s Concerto - so he took it” – Chuck Daellenbach.
Bach frequently arranged other composers’ works, and in this case created an opportunity to hear the piccolo trumpet’s Baroque brilliance. Joe’s fire and technical facility are on full display in this Allegro.

12 Toccata by Girolamo Frescobaldi, arranged by Frederic Mills
Long after Frescobaldi was widely accepted as the composer of Toccata, Romantic references in its Baroque setting provoked arguments among music scholars as to its authenticity. At least two writer attributions have been made, with more and more writers now making claim as the true composer.

13 Rondo from Horn Quintet K407 by W.A.Mozart, arranged by Frederic Mills
Jeff Nelsen, horn

Mozart’s Rondo for horn and string quartet (violin, two violas and cello) was written for Ignaz Leutgeb, the natural (valveless) horn virtuoso from Salzburg who was a personal friend of the Mozart family. In Fred Mills’ setting the horn is featured in front of four other Brass - a much more robust accompaniment for the modern day horn. In Jeff’s hands this Rondo reveals the sensitive and expressive sides of the horn. Jeff’s playful phrasing and elegance are punctuated by a cadenza that he penned himself.

14 - 17 Suite from Water Music by G. F. Handel, arranged by Frederic Mills

Water Music is a grouping of Handel’s compositions culled together in 1717 for a floating party down the Thames River. This arrangement is vintage CANADIAN BRASS. Spirit abounds as the sparkle and vivacity of Handel’s party music is perfectly translated to the brass idiom. Tony Rickard further arranged the Hornpipe movement.

18 Echoes of Harlem by Duke Ellington-Luther Henderson
Josef Burgstaller, trumpet

The relationship between Luther Henderson and the CANADIAN BRASS has become legendary. Luther was a Juilliard-trained Broadway composer and long-time Ellington associate (Duke referred to Luther as his “classical right arm”) who preserved the authentic interpretation of classical jazz with arrangements of such strength and sophistication that they are regarded as compositions in their own right.

19 Quintet by Michael Kamen
Bonus Audio Track & Digital Video Enhanced CD Feature*

Written for CANADIAN BRASS in 2001, Michael Kamen's Quintet quickly earned a place in the standard brass quintet repertoire. Barbara Willis Sweete, of Rhombus Media, conceived and directed this music video based on Kamen’s Quintet. The project was filmed in 2003 at Elora, Ontario and generously funded by BRAVOFACT. As a bonus, both the audio track and enhanced CD digital video are included with Magic Horn.
* To play enhanced CD Feature, place disc in a computer CD ROM drive

SPECIAL THANKS

Making this CD possible is the generous support of FACTOR, bringing a vital new Canadian CD featuring an important new Canadian composition to the world stage. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Music Fund for this project.

CREDITS

Trey Mills - Producer
Christopher McLeod - Recording Engineer

Garnett Willis, Barbara Willis Sweete - Tonmeisters
Edited and mixed at New Horizon Communication, Hamilton, CANADA
Mastered by George Graves at The Lacquer Channel, Toronto, CANADA
Music preparation by Tony Rickard, London, ENGLAND and Clayton Halverson, Winnipeg, CANADA

MB Daellenbach - Photography
Ken Raymond - Graphic Design - www.rubbermustard.com
Victoria Lord - Public Relations - www.vlpr.com

Recorded April 26-30, 2004 at St. Mary Magdalene, Toronto, CANADA

Canadian Brass performs exclusively on Yamaha Gold plated instruments.
All music published by Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation.

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