Hags888

I wasn't sure where I should put this thread, and since there was a similar discussion happening in the New York Trumpet Ensemble Thread (New York Trumpet Ensemble?), I thought I'd expand upon it here. Ed and I went back and forth on the importance of commissioning new music, specifically in relation to brass chamber music. It got me thinking, what new pieces have been commissioned recently (ie, within the last 20 years)? The ABQ Database on their website is an excellent resource for brass quintet literature, but it is painfully simple and not that easy to browse (unless you know what you're looking for in advance). There are 1,021 composers represented with 1,570 compositions. Some of history's more famous composers from more recent times have written for the brass quintet like:

Elliot Carter
Milton Babbitt
Gunther Schuller
Christopher Rouse
Peter Maxwell Davies

As well as composers that are maybe famous in the "brass world" like:

Eugene Bozza
Malcom Arnold
Eric Ewazen
Victor Ewald

But who am I missing? What composers can you think of that have recently written brass quintets? What are the most "famous" composers that have written for the genre? Obviously we'll never have a Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, etc write for the brass quintet. But composers like Stravinsky, Copland, Bernstein, etc never did either (and they could have!!!). Who is at the top of the composition game today that *should* write a brass quintet? Who already has? I'd love to see us put our collective heads together and generate a wishlist of composers that should write brass chamber music. And I've love to see some more famous names that I know I'm missing (and I know we all could just browse through the ABQ Database letter-by-letter...but this is more fun). :) So, think "famous" here. Who would you like to add to the list? I'll get us started:

1. John Williams
2. John Adams
3. John Corgliano

krossum

4. Tan Dun
5. John Zorn
6. David Rosenboom

onward.
-Kelly

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ecarroll

Scott,

Thanks for starting this thread. I agree wholheartedly with your final statement on the other thread -- "This is what it's all about...grants and commissioning (as opposed to transcriptions and arrangements)"

Now that this is out of the way, let me toss a little bit of fat onto the fire. Let's assume that a composer such as John Adams, Tan Dun, Mark-Anthony Turnage, or Tomas Adès (the last 2 are favorites of mine) were agreeable towards composing a brass 5tet. We know, based on their opus, that these works would be 1) virtuoso in nature and 2) not for the feint-hearted listener. Who, outside the ABQ, the Stockholm Chamber Brass, or the Meridians would they write it for? It seems to me that the commission would have to come directly from the group willing to learn and perform it, not the ITG, ITA, IHS, or ITB (on two! hut hut)

Each of these groups and the ABQ in particular, as you've correctly identified, has taken responsibility in creating and performing new works. What we have here, in my view, is the classic "chicken or egg" thing. An unknown group has little chance of getting a new work from an A List composer (unless the hornist is the composer's brother/sister-in-law), versus how fast can this process proceed with so few advocates?

I'll step back now and watch others provide answers and ask more questions that this topic raises. It's fascinating to me and, I think, to you as well.

All my best,
EC

trumpetnick

Ed,

Though I see your point and agree, I would say that the list of 5tets able to perform such a works is a bit bigger...I have seen few 5tets who appeared in the last years, able to do some really crazy stuff..

Spanish Brass Luur Metalls

Gomalan Brass Quintet

SYNERGY BRASS QUINTET

to name just few...I don't know much about any new brass quintets of that level, but sure you do more than me about it.

Of the 3 above probably the spanish brass would be more likely to commission new works, but seems that they prefer to go into more contemporary stuff, written by rather local (european) composers...Everyone value his owns...that's kind of normal.

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Hags888

Here's a few more to add, including the 2 composers Ed mentioned:

7. Mark Anthony-Turnage
8. Tomas Ades
9. Aaron Jay Kernis
10. Stephen Stuckey

I'm sure there are other people with more composers! Don't be shy...

ecarroll

Scott,

(slapping your hand) #7 & 8 on your list ARE the two that I mentioned.

Nick,

I've heard Luur Metalls and have heard good things about Gomalan Brass as well (Marco and I have been exchanging messages). Both groups are excellent.

Gomalan's repertoire, from recorded bits found on their very good website, centers around transcribed works. The Luur Metalls website (also very good) states: "SBLM has commissioned and played over 50 works by different Spanish and foreign composers (see list of works), including: Vladimir Cosma, Tadeuz Kassatti, Pilar Jurado, Carlos Galán, Enrique Sanz-Burguete, José LuÃ*s Turina, Carles Santos, César Cano, Askell Masson, Juraj Filas, Robert Gulya...) Bravi to them for looking to new composition but, as you can see, none of these composers have an international reputation (other than Cosma, who I only know from my friends at Editions BIM)

Best,
EC

Hags888

Sorry if I wasn't clear...I tried to give you credit for them above by saying, "including the 2 Ed mentioned." I was just being anal retentive and reposting them with the number format that Kelly was following from above...I didn't mean for those to come off as my choices. Sorry for the confusion!

Carry on...

JimmyThird

I have so much I want to say about this, but I can't write anything for fear of sounding jealous (which I may be), or boastful (which I always endeavor not to be).

So - does anyone want to hear the opinion of a composer who's in fact making a living writing music, but certainly is by no stretch a household name, like the 3 Johns mentioned earlier?

Feel free to say "No - keep quiet!" - and I'll get back to what I should be doing...
JS

Hags888

My thought is...if it contributes to the wishlist, go ahead and post it. if it's off-topic, create a new thread. I can smell a rant a-brewing...

Be aware, I've been apart of several commissioning projects and grant writing of my own, and have been involved with several composers, and none would be considered "household names". Hell, half the names on the list so far probably don't qualify as "household" names in the broadest sense (unless you are only considering households whose members contain professional musicians).

As I think I can guess what the rant would be about, just let me clarify my intent with this thread. I am in no way intending this to be a definitive list of "famous" composers, or the "best" composers of our time. I think that list can only be generated decades from now when history has a chance to analyze, criticize and sort through all the compositions. This is merely a list of composers we trumpet players wished would write for the brass quintet right now. However, I am guiding the creation of the list by saying "famous" composers, which may be a sticking point with a lot of people. Part of the reason I am using that to guide the creation of the list, is because part of the reason of this post is to gain some notoriety for the brass quintet instrumentation, and to give it more legitimacy as a serious form of instrumental chamber music. The best way to do that is to have those composers who are at the top of the field write for the ensemble. For the record, I do not intend to snub all the hard working composers out there who are as of yet, still looking for that "big break" or who are maybe just on the verge of gaining notoriety. Nor am I interested in snubbing student composers or amateur composers. We have a lot of great brass quintet repertoire written by brass players, and composers that, essentially, have made their name writing for the brass quintet (or at the very least, brass chamber music). But the fact still remains, many of the most highly regarded composers of our time still have either not written a brass quintet, or have written one so difficult that it is rarely if ever performed.

Did I quelch any potential flames...or just create more?

Anyway...we're still looking for #11 and onwards...

ecarroll

Jim,

Jump in. I'm very interested on your take on this (and you're a far better known composer than many, amigo)

Best,
EC