"Manhattan Music" = BRAMWELL TOVEY: Manhattan Music; BERNSTEIN: Suite from Mass; RAYBURN WRIGHT: Shaker Suite; JEFF TYZIK: New York Cityscape – Canadian Brass/ Eastman Wind Ensemble/ Mark Davis Scatterday, conductor – Opening Day 7368, 65:53 [Distr. by Albany] ****:
Here we have the nearly-reconstituted Canadian Brass teaming up with the always-reliable Eastman Wind Ensemble for an album of originals (Tovey, Tyzik) and arrangements (Bernstein, Wright). Before I continue I simply must ask for a pause of silence for the memory of one of the Canadian Brass originals, Fred Mills, who tragically died just a few days ago in a single car accident on his way back from the Atlanta airport to the University of Georgia in Athens (where he taught for the last 13 years) after traveling to Italy. In 1961, he was a founding member of the American Symphony Orchestra in New York. He also was principal trumpet for the New York City Opera, and played with the National Art Centre Orchestra in Canada and the New York City Ballet Orchestra. A member of the Canadian Brass for 24 years, Mr. Mills recorded more than 40 albums for RCA, Sony, Philips and BMG. Mills was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1992. Most importantly to me, he was a friend of my son, a trumpet player.
From the looks of the picture inside this album the Canadian Brass is now a sextet. Be that as it may, they have a long history with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, and so a recording seems only natural. Of course special music had to be devised for such an undertaking, and only one of the pieces here is truly an original for this consortium of players, the New York Cityscape, also one of the best here. Composer/pops conductor Jeff Tyzik takes us through a nostalgic and wistful tour of the city not only via location but also time, reaching all the way back to 1709 with the exotic and hypnotic “African Dance” on Wall Street and the East River.
Manhattan Music is transcribed here, originally written for the Canadian Brass and orchestra. Not having heard that version—and that would obviously add some completely different tonal contrasts to the timbres involved—it is difficult to ascertain the more homogenous sound of brass sextet plus wind ensemble. The work is one of composer Bramwell Tovey’s impressions of a place he has come to love dearly, though you will not find particular associations listed with any particular movement in this theme and variations piece. One must admire the composer’s instincts in allowing changes of weather and mood to be reflected in different variations as opposed to creating some sort of more direct and concrete tone poem. The predominant tone is one of jazz however, and all else proceeds from it, and this is quite fitting for the Canadian Brass, who pull most of the weight in this composition.
The two arrangements are simply superb. Mass especially took me by surprise, as it is difficult to surpass Bernstein’s own unique orchestral conception, already heavy-laden with brass and wind music. Shaker Suite is equally affecting, the familiar “Simple Gifts” given new life, while “The Happy Journey” and “I’ve Set My Face for Zion’s Kingdom” making for nice complements.
So this is a completely worthwhile effort that will please many who love the Canadian Brass, The Eastman Wind Ensemble, or both.
— Steven Ritter
