This Philos Brass Ensemble performed with Gordon Turk at the first Summer Stars event of the 2012 season.
Friday, July 6. The Philos Brass ensemble appeared last night with Gordon Turk on the Hope Jones organ in a concert that encompassed music from the 16th century to the 20th. The group consists of a conductor and 11 musicians: two French horns, five trumpets, one tuba and three trombones. The unamplified sound was glorious as it filled every corner of the Great Auditorium. A small but enthusiastic crowd put up with the heat to hear this most professional concert. It’s hard to believe that we can walk over to the GA and hear a world-class musical event like this for about $15.00 per ticket. Each selection was introduced by the conductor or by Mr. Turk, and their explanation of the music made it even more enjoyable.
Sometimes the instrumentation changed. For example, when they performed the “Magnificat” by Charles theodore Pachelbel (not THE Pachalbel who’s “Canon” became famous in the movie “Ordinary People,” the group divided itself into two matching quintets, playing opposite each other, with each other and all together—the music weaving in and out which seems to be a characteristic of brass ensembles.
We have no recording of the Philos Ensemble, but you can hear what a brass ensemble sounds like in this recording of the Canadian Brass which, I think, have also appeared in the GA in the past. I chose this selection because I like the title: “the Queen of the Night’s Vengeance Aria” from the Magic Flute by Wolfgang (“Wolfie”) Amadeus Mozart. (You may recall the movie “Amadeus” when a young and frisky Wolfgang cavorts with his girlfriend who calls him “Wofie”).
We also have a amateur video (by me, sitting all the way in the back to enjoy the blending of the sound) taken during the last selection, when the Philos Brass Ensemble and Gordon Turk (on the 11.000+ Hope Jones organ), joined by Ocean Grove’s wonderful soprano Monica Ziegler performed America the Beautiful. If you haven’t heard the GA organ played live, you MUST go to one of Mr. Turk’s recitals, even if you hate classical music. This is a unique and famous situation that can be appreciated as shear auditory magic–if you love music, you might have an eargasm.
The Summer Stars series will continue on July 12. That show will be a treat also, with Thomas Muraco on piano and Wolfram Koessel on cello. How great is that! The Summer Stars is one of the best bargains in the musical world: each general admission ticket is about $15.00 including fees and taxes.
