Welcome

This Blog is primarily a part of a Brass Ensemble Literature course I'm taking here at the University of Iowa. But I'm hoping to use this as a catalyst for my own professional blog on my website down the line. 

Euphoniums are easily the least represented member of the brass family. On this Blog I'll be looking into brass ensembles that feature the euphonium in different ways. Welcome!

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Pure Euphonium

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  Today is euphonium quartet day! I’m going to be highlighting 3 quartets that featuring the same instrument, our beloved euphonium. These quartets sometimes stray away from using 4 euphoniums but the pieces we’re going to examine today all feature that sweet sweet dark chocolate sound. It’s pure euphonium! I also want to clarify the difference between euphonium choir and quartet. A few weeks ago, I wrote about Ben Roundtree’s piece CHARGE for euphonium choir. That was a piece written specifically for multiple people on the same part. Today the music we’ll listen to is written and arranged with quartets in mind. The textures are thinner and the sonorities are, generally, not as intense at the choir. So with that.. onward. Eufonix Eufonix is essential euphonium quartet listening because they were first. Made up of Aaron Tindall, Danny Helseth, Patrick Stuckemeyer, and the late Kelly Thomas the group was formed in 2008. Unfortunately, the quartet has been dormant since the sudden pas...
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Brass Ensemble Extravaganza 2023

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These are 11 videos of performances that I really enjoy and I believe are important to document and adopt into the canon of brass ensemble literature. Some of them are from established composers and ensembles and others are at the cutting edge of what new music can be.  The entire playlist is about 70 minutes long if you listen straight through. Feel free to skip around if something seems more interesting to you. The playlist is available here if you just want to listen and not read my carefully thought out commentary 1. Fugue from Trio Sonata in C Major (unknown year) - Johann Gottlieb Goldberg (1727-1756) attributed to J.S. Bach (BWV 1037) Empire Brass Jeffery Curnow, trumpet Rolf Smedvig, trumpet Eric Ruske, horn Scott Hartman, trombone Samual Pilafian, tuba Release Date: 1990 This piece is falsely attributed to Bach! I went down a bit of a rabbit hole trying to find the original sonata only to find that in 1954 an original manuscript by Johann Gottlieb Goldberg (Yes - that ...
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Plog's Fantasy Movements is the BEST Tuba/Euphonium Quartet Ever Written

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Anthony Plog is a composer and legendary trumpet pedagogue. His compositions for brass instruments number in the dozens including a 7-volume method book for trumpet. He has a trademark style of syncopated rhythms and writing in various modes and non-traditional scales. Fantasy Movements is a quintessential Plog work and features many of his stylistic trademarks.   It was written in 2009 and commissioned by The Sotto Voce Quartet and Cimarron Music Press. Sotto Voce is one of the most notable tuba/euphonium quartets in the world. Headed by their lead euphonium, Demondrae Thurman, the ensemble has recorded multiple award winning CDs and performed at some of the most prestigious concert halls and festivals in the world. However, there are allegations of sexual misconduct against contrabass tuba player Mike Forbes. There are public details from the case which can be found at this link . I will not dwell on this, as this is a post about the piece, not the ensemble. The recording of Fant...
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