July 8-18
Summer Brass Festival
In orchestras they have to mind their manners, providing weight and thrill to climaxes, offering a clarifying solo or a deep-toned chorale. But beginning July 8 in Stent Hall at the Menlo School, you can get to know the players and their instruments more fully at the eighth annual Summer Brass Institute and Festival.
Of course, there will be a chance to see and hear the festival founders, the Bay Brass, and institute participants in large symphonic brass ensemble concerts. But you might also hear top players in solo
recitals, including San Francisco Symphony principal players, old and new (trumpeter Mark Inouye, hornists Robert Ward and Nicole Cash, trombonist Mark Lawrence).
Special guest trumpeter Gabriele Cassone, who is both a historic instrument specialist and a renowned new music interpreter displays both sides of his art in two master classes open to the public, July 8 and 9. If you like your brass music uncut and unvarnished, this is for you.
Event Information
Festival
Gabriele Cassone, trumpet
- Organization: Summer Brass Festival at Menlo School
- Venue: Stent Family Hall, Menlo School
- City: Atherton
- Date: Thu July 8, 2010 7:00pm
- Price Range: $20
- Email |
SFCV Previews
- Fri February 10, 2012 8:00pm
Comments
This was a truly remarkable and wonderful lecture and concert.
The musically informed use of natural trumpet, keyed bugle and F (alto) trumpet left the listener imagining why others don't play historical instruments. The answer, of course, is that mastery of those distinctive voices required discipline and time beyond what most players can give. On natural trumpets (with tuning 3 holes and no valves--twice as long as the modern C trumpet) we heard the anonymous fanfare on which the theme from "Rocky" was based (in its original form, for 2 trumpets). On the keyed bugle (Cassone explained how the 5 saxophone-like keys permitted chromatic music to be performed), Cassone performed with piano a little known "Adagio" for trumpet and piano by Giuseppi Verdi--an aria for trumpet by another name. On the late-19th century long F trumpet with rotary valves (for which many Mahler symphony trumpet parts were written), Cassone performed another little known work of the era (my notes fail me here). Further performances, interrupted by brief discussions of the history of the instruments being used, utilized the standard Bb trumpet, Bb cornet and modern C trumpet. I can recall on the cornet Cassone's Carnival of Venice (by J.B. Arban) with virtuosic variations in the extreme, including improvised ornaments and the most delicate pianissimi I have ever heard!).
The finale of the concert, the last movement of *Solus*, by by Stanley Friedman, was performed on a modern C trumpet; however, Cassone carefully removed the tubing for the 2nd valve before playing, as specified by the composer. While I had heard this piece before, I had never heard the historical explanation of the sonic effect involving the missing 2nd valve slide: a little-known 19th century instrument of the trumpet family had 2 bells, and the player could switch between them by depressing an extra valve, changing the tone instantly, creating an eerie effect of rapid double voicing. The missing slide allowed Cassone to do the same in a more limited way using his 2nd valve to switch between the normal bell and the exit pipe of the 2nd valve, which, while pitched, has a completely different timbre from the bell.
A most informative and exciting concert.
Next Tuesday at Memorial Church, Stanford, Cassone, organist Huw Morgan, and the Bay Brass will perform what I am sure will be an exciting selection of brass works drawing on the right side of the musical brain, with big, rich, resonant church brass sounds that can and will thrill children and adults alike. No prior knowledge or background required.