Music for Brass Septet

Trumpets: Matthew Williams, Simon Cox and Christian Barraclough
Trombones: Matthew Gee, Matthew Knight and Dan West
Tuba: Peter Smith

Based on the traditional orchestral brass section of three trumpets, three trombones and a tuba, Septura’s homogenous tonal combination makes it the ideal vehicle for this album of 19th Century sacred organ and choral music. Trumpeter, Simon Cox, has re-imagined the bulk of the repertoire, with contributions also from Matthew Knight and Stephen Hicks.

The album opens with Simon’s masterful arrangement of Mendelssohn’s Organ Sonata in C minor and I was immediately struck by the group’s remarkable ability to imitate the sonorities of the varied banks of stops on the pipe organ. Indeed, at times it’s easy to forget that this music is being played on brass instruments, such is the quality of sound produced.

Choral music follows in the form of Robert Schumann’s Four Double Choruses. Here again, the music is presented with admirable style. The contrasts between the choruses are so well-defined, from the most subtle soft articulations, through gently rocking lines to the joyous final chorus.

Brahms wrote little for the organ in his lifetime; although possibly sensing his imminent death, he did return to the instrument in 1896 for his final work, the Eleven Chorale Preludes. Five are presented on this album, and by the use of a vast array of mutes and combinations of muted and open instruments, Simon’s arrangement convincingly imitates the registrations of the pipe organ.

Anton Bruckner wrote his Two Aequali for trombone trio and, although only amounting to two minutes and 50 seconds of the album, they are an exquisite example of the art of classical trombone playing.

The album ends with Four Motets, again by Bruckner. Septura’s full tonal and dynamic range is fully exploited in this music, so well-suited as it is to adaptation for brass.

Septura represents the very pinnacle of the art of brass ensemble performance and the superb acoustics of St. Paul’s Church in New Southgate give heightened quality to this album of sacred music. Highly recommended listening.

NIGEL SEAMAN       

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