Who doesn't love some Bach in the morning (or any time of day)? I'm a sucker for some in-your-face organ music, but when you replace it with a full brass section of astounding players, I think it comes pretty close.
Founded in 1974, the German Brass ensemble began as a quintet (Deutsches Blechbäserquintett) that eventually expanded to ten players to accommodate the instrumentation of larger brass works. The video below shows an entire concert of Bach's music arranged for brass, and these pieces can also be found on German Brass's 1985 CD, "Bach 300."
If you're looking for a specific piece, the following are included in the video:
Concerto in D Major after Antonio Vivaldi
"Sinfonia," "Adagio," and "Duetto e coro" from Easter Oratorio
"Adagio" from Toccata and Fugue in C Major
"Sinfonia" from the Partita No. 2
Chorale, "Ich rufe zu dir, Herr Jesus Christ"
"Bourée," "Air," and "Badinere" from Suite from the Orchestra Overture
Chorale, "Jesu bleibe meine Freunde"
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
"Adagio" from Toccata and Fugue in C Major
"Sinfonia" from the Partita No. 2
Chorale, "Ich rufe zu dir, Herr Jesus Christ"
"Bourée," "Air," and "Badinere" from Suite from the Orchestra Overture
Chorale, "Jesu bleibe meine Freunde"
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
With a lineup like this, how can one go wrong?
I'm not sure that I can say that Bach is Better in Brass (we wouldn't want Bach rolling in his grave), but you can decide for yourself!
I'm so glad this concert exists on Youtube. Their CD's are obviously great, but this live recording shows just how in sync and excellent the ensemble plays together without the need for multiple cuts or post production which is unfortunately not something you see with a lot of recording groups these days. It's also amazing how well these arrangements work for brass, makes you wonder if Bach would have written for this ensemble if it existed in his time.
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