Mnozil Brass: Monday YouTube Fix

I have run out of superlatives to describe Mnozil Brass. The playing. The writing. The staging. The storytelling. Absolutely world class.

Want to make money in the music business? Come up with a concept as original as these guys did.

They did not just do what had already been done but a little better. They are unlike anything that came before them or anything that has come since.

it's hard to get an idea of what Mnozil Brass is like in concert from one clip but this does the trick. They throw one heck of a curveball at you towards the end.

Just stunningly awesome.

Enjoy!

this is a little exerpt out of the new dvd magic moments from mnozil brass. find more info's here: http://www.mnozilbrass.at/shop.html

UT Wind Ensemble Performing John Mackey: Monday YouTube Fix

Here is the University of Texas Wind Ensemble under the direction of Jerry Junkin performing John Mackey's "Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band".

This is a live performance from 2/12/14 at Bates Recital Hall in Austin, TX.

John Mackey is one of my favorite composers writing music today. This piece is awesome.

Enjoy!

Wine-Dark Sea: Symphony for Band by John Mackey The University of Texas Wind Ensemble Jerry F. Junkin, conductor Live in Bates Recital Hall - Austin, Texas February 12, 2014 Published with the permission of the composer. This video may not be republished, excerpted, or otherwise publicly redistributed without permission.

Royal Danish Oboes: Monday YouTube Fix

Here is a live performance by the Royal Danish Oboes (the oboes of the Royal Danish Orchestra) of the Beethoven Trio for Two Oboes and English Horn.

The lineup:

1st Oboe: Joakim Dam Thomsen
2nd Oboe: Rixon Thomas
English Horn: Sven Buller

Enjoy!

This is a live unedited recording from the small stage of Operaen in Copenhagen. Recorded on the 9th May 2010. This was one of 3 pieces on the program of The Royal Danish Orchestra's (Det Kongelige Kapel) regular chamber music concerts.

Adam Rapa & Belgian Brass: Monday YouTube Fix

Here is an interesting arrangement of the Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 2 performed live by Adam Rapa and the Belgian Brass.

Adam is one of the best trumpet players in the world. His virtuosity allows him to tackle incredibly difficult literature and make it sound effortless. What a phenomenal player.

The lineup of the Belgian Brass:

Trumpets: Manu Mellaerts, Steven Devolder, Leo Wouters, Frankie De Kuyffer
French Horns: Rik Vercruysse, Lars Wachelder
Trombones: Jan Smets, Peter Delannoye, Geert De Vos
Tuba: Fabien Wallerand
Percussion: Luk Artois, Gaetan La Mela

Enjoy!

C.M. Von Weber Trumpet Soloist: Adam Rapa CELEBRATION CONCERT - 10 YEARS BELGIAN BRASS - LIVE !!! Trumpets: Manu Mellaerts, Steven Devolder, Leo Wouters, Frankie De Kuyffer French Horns: Rik Vercruysse, Lars Wachelder Trombones: Jan Smets, Peter Delannoye, Geert De Vos Tuba: Fabien Wallerand Percussion: Luk Artois, Gaetan La Mela

The Meters: Monday YouTube Fix

The Meters are a funk band from New Orleans. Their music is stripped down, not flashy, and just oozing with groove and character.

If you or a student of yours are looking for a way to work on groove, you can use this album as a tool.

Three Ways to Work on Groove:

1. You can have them sing along with any of these tracks. Have them start with just one note and encourage them to make it "fit into the song." Be sure to point out that fewer notes are better than a lot of notes when starting out.
    
2. Next have them play along with any of the tracks on just one note. It is pretty incredible how quickly even a young player will start to feel the concept of groove when they play along with an album like this.
    
3. Finally, have them play some very basic hand percussion along with it. A shaker, claves, anything laying around the band room. You can also have them march around the band room in time with the music to feel the groove.

I've seen this kind of thing work wonders with students of all ages and ability levels.

Happy grooving!

Provided to YouTube by Warner Music Group Cissy Strut · The Meters Funkify Your Life: The Meters Anthology ℗ 1969 Josie Records. Controlled By Rhino Entertainment Co. ℗ 1969 WEA International Inc.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra: Monday YouTube Fix

I recently stumbled upon this wonderful performance of the Pittsburgh Symphony performing at the opening night of Musikfest Berlin 2013. They are lead by their music director, Manfred Honeck. It's a great program:

Janaček: Suite for String Orchestra
Lutosławski: Chain 2, Dialogue for Violin and Orchestra
Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Opus 40

Enjoy!

Opening concert of Musikfest Berlin 2013 Berlin, Philharmonie, Germany Manfred Honeck, Conductor Anne-Sophie Mutter, Violin Program: Janaček: Suite for String Orchestra Lutosławski: Chain 2, Dialogue for Violin and Orchestra Strauss: Ein Heldenleben, Opus 40 The streaming is produced by the Digital Concert Hall.

Maria Callas: Monday YouTube Fix

As I have written on this blog over and over again, all instrumentalists are simply trying to sound like singers.

Maria Callas was an American-born Greek soprano who lived from 1923-1977. She is one of the all-time greats. If you are not familiar with her work you are in for treat.

Here is a great collection of 12 arias featuring the music of Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti and more. Here is the full list of arias performed:

UNA VOCE POCO FA • Gioacchino Rossini "Il Barbiere Di Siviglia" 
ADDIO DEL PASSATO • Giuseppe Verdi "La Traviata" ( 06:48 )
CASTA DIVA • Vincenzo Bellini "Norma" ( 10:15 )
UN BEL DÌ VEDREMO • Giacomo Puccini "Madama Butterfly" ( 17:29 )
PACE, PACE MIO DIO • Giuseppe Verdi "La Forza Del Destino" ( 21:59 )
EBBEN NE ANDRÒ LONTANA • Alfredo Catalani "La Wally" ( 28:24 )
O MIO BABBINO CARO • Giacomo Puccini "Gianni Schicchi" ( 33:12 )
O MADRE MIA • Amilcare Ponchielli "La Gioconda" ( 35:44 )
QUANDO, RAPITO IN ESTASI • Gaetano Donizetti "Lucia Di Lammermoor" ( 37:37 )
TACEA LA NOTTE PLACIDA • Giuseppe Verdi "Il Trovatore" ( 42:37 )
SPARGI D'AMARO PIANTO • Gaetano Donizetti "Lucia di Lammermoor" ( 48:46 )
GIASON! DEI TUOI FIGLI LA MADRE • Luigi Cherubini "Medea" ( 52:56 )

Enjoy!

visit our page on facebook ▶ http://on.fb.me/1bzVvBp BUY ▶ Halidon: http://bit.ly/1dvMNsf UNA VOCE POCO FA * Gioacchino Rossini "Il Barbiere Di Siviglia" ADDIO DEL PASSATO * Giuseppe Verdi "La Traviata" ( 06:48 ) CASTA DIVA * Vincenzo Bellini "Norma" ( 10:15 ) UN BEL DÌ VEDREMO * Giacomo Puccini "Madama

Dennis Brain: Monday YouTube Fix

Many call Dennis Brain the greatest horn player to ever live. The mark that he left on the music world has no signs of fading any time soon.

Effortless is a word I probably use too often to describe the greatest players in the world. But Dennis Brain is possibly the best example I know of from the brass world.

His phrasing is natural to the point that he truly sounds like a vocalist without words.

Here is Dennis Brain performing the Beethoven Horn Sonata.

Enjoy!

This is a clip from Beulah's DVD "Classical Music in the Forties" (YB35) This film is also available as a MP4 video download or an Mp3 audio track. Go to http:/brain.eavb.co.uk/ for more details and to order you rDVD or select your download.

Bach Mass in B Minor: Monday YouTube Fix

This is one of the all-time classics. I can't ever get enough Bach. There is so much to focus on at any given time that you can hear a piece like his Mass in B Minor for the 500th time and hear something new.

This is from the BBC Proms in 2012 at Royal Albert Hall in London with Harry Bicket conducting The English Concert and the Choir of the English Concert. The soloists are:

Joélle Harvey soprano
Carolyn Sampson soprano
Iestyn Davies counter-tenor
Ed Lyon tenor
Matthew Rose bass

Enjoy!

Prom 26: Bach -- Mass in B minor Johann Sebastian Bach - Mass in B minor Joélle Harvey soprano Carolyn Sampson soprano Iestyn Davies counter-tenor Ed Lyon tenor Matthew Rose bass Choir of the English Concert The English Concert Harry Bicket conductor Royal Albert Hall 2 August 2012 0:00:07 - Kyrie eleison 0:10:33 - Christe eleison 0:15:20 - Kyrie eleison 0:19:06 - Gloria in excelsis Deo 0:25:35 - Laudamus te 0:29:40 - Gratias agimus tibi

Emanuel Ax: Monday YouTube Fix

Emanuel Ax has been one of my favorite pianists in the world for as long as I can remember. I am spoiled by getting to see him perform every single summer at Tanglewood. He is a phenomenal artist whose musicianship I regularly look to for inspiration.

Here is a performance of Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Opus 83 from The BBC Proms in 2011. He is accompanied by the Chamber Orchestra of Europe under the direction of Bernard Haitink.

Enjoy!

Johannes Brahms Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op 83 1 Allegro non troppo 2 Allegro appassionato 3 Andante 4 Allegretto grazioso Emanuel Ax, piano Cham...