Steven Mead gets dreamy
A new CD from by top international euphoniumist, Steven Mead, was launched at the International Tuba/Euphonium Conference this month...
Euphonium soloist, Besson Artist and one of the most recorded solo brass artists with over 70 CDs to his credit, Steven Mead, has just released a new CD - Dream Times - on his own Bocchino label.
Harnessing the wide-ranging performance talent of performers and arrangers connected to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, Dream Times is hallmarked by the soloist’s anticipated wide-ranging and original repertoire selection allied to forensic attention to detail, both musically and in terms of the CD package, which has a smart, classy design. That the repertoire is wide-ranging is not a surprise - Steven has commissioned and premièred over 300 new works for euphonium during his stellar solo career. Although wide-ranging all the recorded items are, however, thematically connected to dreams and Steven’s links with the RNCM.
Recorded in Studio 7 at the RNCM, the title track Dreamtimes (an anagram of Mr. Mead) by Japanese composer, Hiroki Takahashi, was premièred in 2014 by Steven with Spielkammerensemble in Tokyo, to celebrate his wedding to Misa.
Said the soloist: “The theme of dreams reflects a period in my life - being a professional euphonium soloist is a dream. I’m also proud of my connection with the RNCM, which dates back to 1990 when I was invited to teach there. The release offers a big mix of material and people, and I’m very happy with the result.”
Opening with Aces for Solo Euphonium and Brass Quintet by Frank Gulino, Three Tango Sensations - Anxiety, Asleep and Fear (part of a suite of five) in an arrangement for euphonium and string quartet by former RNCM student, Matt Krening, follow. Said Steven: “I’ve wanted to record these pieces for many years along with track nine - Piazolla’s hauntingly beautiful Ave Maria, arranged by Ioan Dobrinescu and recorded with leading RNCM brass musicians - stunning!”
Former RNCM Masters student, Thomas Kelly, composed Set Adrift for Solo Euphonium and Electronics - loosely based on the film Gravity - for an RNCM student’s euphonium recital, which Steven recognised as meritorious and began to play himself.
There’s also Concertino for Euphonium and Brass Sextet by Lee Jinjun that Steven describes as “fresh, fun and exciting to play, and a work of real stature,” which he hopes will boost the sparse repertoire for euphonium/brass ensemble.
In another departure, the exciting iPhonium by Roderick Skipp, written for Brighouse and Rastrick’s Solo Euphonium, Philippe Schwartz, combines euphonium with electronic sounds to recreate the sounds of the London Underground, for which Steven says: “You have to use your imagination to fully appreciate this work.”
Perhaps the most jaw-dropping of the tracks are the eight pieces in the Rhapsodia suite, conceived in 2007 when the soloist was invited by Giuliana Camerino to play live on a catwalk for her Roberto di Camerino fashion house. She requested that the music performed be based upon Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, which RNCM alumni, Peter Meechan, arranged as Rhapsodia for the multi-tracked Mead, sax, drums and synthesiser accompaniment. Said Steven: “Playing live on TV to 50,000 people whilst models paraded down a catwalk was like a dream, so I’ve included the piece on the CD to remind me that dreams can come true!”
Dream Times will be reviewed in the July/August edition of BBW. Subscribe here
