The combination of brass instruments and pipe organ has been used in liturgical environments for centuries. The blend of the brass with the coloristic attributes of the organ’s orchestral sounds makes for an exciting sound that can achieve thrilling fortissimos. For this CD the addition of handbells and percussion on some of the tracks expands the tonal range even further.
Most of the music is from the 20th century but there are some steps into the past, with works of Bach, Purcell and Pachelbel (not the latter’s Canon but his Fantasia in D minor). The Prelude to Charpentier’s Te Deum is a joyful piece that epitomizes the CD’s overall title. The concluding three-movement suite by Craig Phillips has had numerous performances for this combination. The first two movements are lyrical and the virtuoso Toccata lst movement brings the album to a spectacular close. Balances of the brass quintet and organ are just right, and though not in surround, the recording does translate well to a representation of the church acoustics via ProLogic II.
– John Sunier
