RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Moviebrass
Leonard BERNSTEIN (1918-1990) West Side Story Suite (arr. Marco Pierobon) [25:22]
Samuel BARBER (1910-1981) Adagio for Strings (arr. Stephen McNeff) [7:16]
John WILLIAMS (b. 1932), Jerry GOLDSMITH (1929-2004), James HORNER (b. 1953) and David ARNOLD (b. 1962) Space Brass (arr. Marco Pierobon) [17:03]
John WILLIAMS Indiana Jones: Main Title Theme (arr. Marco Pierobon) [4:27]
Danny ELFMAN (b. 1953) The Simpsons Theme (arr. Marco Pierobon) [1:38]
Franco MICALIZZI (b. 1939) and Yuji OHNO (b. 1941) Lupin III: Main Title Theme (arr. Marco Pierobon) [3:17]
Gomalan Brass Quintet (Marco Braito and Marco Pierobon (trumpets); Nilo Caracristi (French horn); Gianluca Scipioni (trombone); Oswald Prader (tuba))
rec. San Martino Church, Palazzo Pignano, Cremona, Italy, 10-13 November 2007
(www.gomalanbrass.com)
full tracklist at end of review
NAXOS 8.572244 [59:03]
Naxos continue to debouch releases at a monthly rate that in terms of pure numbers puts into the shade the companies that history tells us are majors. It does this at a single low price-point too. Gone is the premium category Marco Polo label; its treasury of recordings now appearing piecemeal on Naxos alongside completely new recordings. Long may this continue. This Gomalan Brass extravaganza appears for the first time.
The people at Naxos are an astute bunch and know good opportunities when they see them. The present disc is there for pleasure – mostly fun - often scatty fun. This is not for the strait-laced. You can gather this from their previous issues on Summit. Gomalan Brass whoop it up with the casual mastery of virtuosos. The instruments, including the most ungainly, sing, bark, lament and exult. Everything is spot-on yet not in the way of stultifying perfection – with the delight rehearsed out of existence. Instead the playing is full of character and individuality. More than that: each of the five players registers as an engaging presence even in the accompanimental lines.
The recording is nothing short of superb – never a moment of distortion. This is not really my sort of disc – at least not at first blush. I wouldn’t normally go for brass quintet recitals – yet it’s a delight! The Bernstein is a triumph in every department. I had a few reservations about the Barber which translates awkwardly from its original string choir. As for the rest of the tracks they are tirelessly enjoyable – the most impressive being the Indiana Jones medley.
I hope that there will be other Gomalan CDs. Would that Marco Pierobon turns his attention to Bill Conti’s exuberant Dynasty theme for that exultant hymn to 1980s excess. Who can forget the part played in that call-to-glamour by studio trumpeter Bob DiVall, long of the LA Phil. Then again, having romped through John Williams, why not step back to the 1940s and go for a Korngold medley. Don’t forget to include the scherzo from the Korngold symphony.
Whoop it up with the Gomalan. Not for purists but none of this disc is.
Rob Barnett
Whoop it up with the Gomalan.
Full tracklist.
Bernstein, Leonard - Pierobon, Marco, arranger(s)
West Side Story Suite (arr. M. Pierobon for brass quintet)
1. I. Introduction 00:01:29
2. II. Jet Song 00:01:29
3. III. Something's comin' 00:02:11
4. IV. Blues 00:01:07
5. V. The Pub 00:00:28
6. VI. Mambo 00:01:25
7. VII. Maria 00:02:23
8. VIII. America 00:02:37
9. IX. Furtively 00:01:02
10. X. One Hand, one Heart 00:03:03
11. XI. Tonight 00:01:10
12. XII. Allegro 00:00:57
13. XIII. I feel pretty 00:01:56
14. XIV. Somewhere 00:02:17
15. XV. Lt. Krupke 00:00:43
16. XVI. Finale 00:01:07
Barber, Samuel McNeff, Stephen, arranger(s)
17. Adagio for Strings, Op. 11 (arr. S. McNeff for brass quintet) 00:07:16
Goldsmith, Jerry / Williams, John / Arnold, David Pierobon, Marco, arranger(s)
Space Brass (arr. M. Pierobon for brass quintet)
18. John Williams: Superman: Main Title Theme 00:04:17
19. John Williams: ET: Main Title Theme 00:02:29
20. Jerry Goldsmith: Star Trek TV Series: Opening Theme 00:01:16
21. Jerry Goldsmith: Star Trek TV Series: Chorale 00:01:46
22. Jerry Goldsmith: Star Trek TV Series: Closing Theme 00:00:55
23. David Arnold: Independence Day: Main Title Theme 00:01:31
24. Jerry Goldsmith: Apollo 13: Main Title Theme 00:02:26
25. John Williams: Close Encounters of the Third Kind: Main Title Theme 00:02:23
Williams, John Pierobon, Marco, arranger(s)
Indiana Jones: Main Title Theme (arr. M. Pierobon for brass quintet)
26. Indiana Jones: Main Title Theme (arr. M. Pierobon for brass quintet) 00:04:27
Elfman, Danny Pierobon, Marco, arranger(s)
27. The Simpsons: Main Title Theme (arr. M. Pierobon for brass quintet) 00:01:38
Micalizzi, Franco / Ohno, Yuji Pierobon, Marco, arranger(s)
28. Lupin the 3rd: Main Title Theme (arr. M. Pierobon for brass quintet) 00:03:17