CD Details
All Artists: George Vosburgh, Tami Fire, Richard Webster, Johann Sebastian Bach, Benjamin Britten, Marvin Hamlisch, George Frideric Handel, Ralph Martin Hugh / Blane, Felix Mendelssohn, James R. Murray, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Christmas Traditional, John Francis Wade, Richard Storrs Willis, Pittsburgh Symphony Brass Title: Pittsburgh Symphony Brass: The Spirit of Christmas Members Wishing: 1 Total Copies: 0 Label: Four Winds Original Release Date: 1/1/2000 Re-Release Date: 11/11/2003 Genres: Special Interest, Pop, Soundtracks, Classical Styles: Holiday & Wedding, Vocal Pop, Opera & Classical Vocal, Ballets & Dances, Ballets, Historical Periods, Baroque (c.1600-1750), Modern, 20th, & 21st Century, Sacred & Religious Number of Discs: 1 SwapaCD Credits: 1 UPC: 754612302228 |
Synopsis
Album DescriptionPittsburgh Symphony Brass and Four Winds Entertainment are proud to present "The Spirit of Christmas." This splendid new recording features wonderful Christmas favorites arranged in magnificent settings that capture the joy and good cheer of the holidays, played as only Pittsburgh Symphony Brass can. Like their successful first holiday recording "A Christmas Concert," the new album offers popular carols in short festive arrangements for brass, but also adds to the program songs arranged for brass, organ, tympani, and voice. Sure to be a favorite is a very special new Christmas song "Take Me Back To Christmas Past," written by Marvin Hamlisch and sung by the talented young mezzo-soprano Tami Fire. Led by Grammy Award winner George Vosburgh and produced by the renowned Arnie Roth, Pittsburgh Symphony Brass performs on "The Spirit of Christmas" with the bold, virtuoso flair for which they have become so popular.
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CD Reviews
Majesty & grace; power & subtlety Donald H. Nelson | Pittsburgh, PA United States | 12/15/2003 (5 out of 5 stars) "The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is considered to be one of the finest orchestras in the United States, and their renowned brass section contributes to its characteristic tight, warm sound. The Pittsburgh Symphony Brass contains members of the PSO, including trumpet wielders George Vosburgh and Neal Berntsen, who provided the arrangements for this wonderful CD. Completing the sextet are William Caballero (horn), Peter Sullivan and Murray Crewe (trombones) and Eric Bubacz (tuba).This, their second Christmas recording, is their finest thus far. "A Christmas Concert", their other Christmas CD, plays it straight with good performances of mostly traditional arrangements. "Spirit of Christmas" adds timpani (Timothy Adams) and pipe organ (Richard Webster) to many pieces, as well as mezzo soprano Tami Fire, who joins the players to sing Marvin Hamlisch's touching "Take Me to Christmas Past." The result of the additional orchestration is a more lush and varied sound; it makes for a more interesting experience to hear these larger orchestrations interspersed among those featuring the brass alone.
The final piece, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a particularly beautiful reading by George Vosburgh, playing solo on the Flugelhorn.The new arrangements are superb and appropriate to the subject matter, exuding majesty without becoming bombastic. They also serve to spotlight the virtuosity and power of the PSO brass. This is a work of brilliance that will give you chills; I give it my highest recommendation."
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