Swedish Brass Chamber Music

[coraltrpt]

Just wanted to share a recording we just finished:
https://youtu.be/PYV_UX1roxQ?si=na_8cPdahyDfoM2n

also on Spotify under Collective Brass:
https://open.spotify.com/album/4ZJ7fBnGMVMSkOaJoqixPr

Over the past 3-4 years, I've been researching Swedish music, specifically music written for small groups of brass instruments.

A lot of the material on this is album is being recorded for the first time. Of particular interest is the Bernhard Crusell Ten Pieces for Brass Instruments, which was composed around 1820 and could be one of the oldest known pieces written for chromatic brasses (the keyed bugle in particular). It's a lovely piece with a lot of charm.

Also Kjell Roikjer's Theme, Variations and Rondo on a Swedish Folksong, written around 1980, is a lovely example of the Theme and Variations form once popular with Scandinavian composers like Rued Langgaard and Carl Nielsen.

I would love to hear what you all think of it. The project has been a labor of love over the last few years. It's lovely music and deserves to be heard. I also remember a few Swedish members hang around here!

[cgaiii]

I enjoyed your work and the playing. Thanks for posting.
One thing, I found the mix very heavy in the right channel. This was quite pronounced in the Youtube version, so I also listened on Spotify. It was still there, but not quite as pronounced. I am not sure if that was intentional. My preference would be for a little more balanced in the channels. I hope this is helpful.
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Bb: Schilke X3L AS, Yamaha YTR-6335S
C: Schilke CXL, Kanstul 1510-2
Bb Cornet: Getzen 800 DLXS
Pic: Kanstul 920
Bb Bugle: Kanstul
Bb Pocket: Manchester Brass
Flugel: Taylor Std
Bass Tr: BAC Custom
Nat. Tr: Nikolai Mänttäri Morales Haas replica

[Seymor B Fudd]

Here comes one Swede!
Yes lovely arrangements! And for me in particular as I "grew" up ( musically, at least) in a brass band in southern Sweden it was a sheer delight to listen. Thanks a lot for posting!

I was touched by the fine arrangement of Sommarpsalm - because when a dear friend from my time in the university "student orkester" died, prematurely, we played his arrangement of Sommarpsalm during the funeral in the church. The setting was a sextett as we call it. I played the soprano part. Makes you get in touch with "spheres".
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Cornets: mp 143D3/ DW Ultra 1,5 C
Getzen 300 series
Yamaha YCRD2330II
Yamaha YCR6330II
Getzen Eterna Eb
Trumpets:
Yamaha 6335 RC Schilke 14B
King Super 20 Symphony DB (1970)
Selmer Eb/D trumpet (1974)

[krax]

I've listened to the album twice now and I really appreciate it. All of you play with lots of elegance, virtuosity and spirit and it has been very refreshing. Why? As a Swede, there are some cultural connotations that affect our playing and while listening to your take, the well known melodies were a mind-opener. Not that I will change my playing, just that I see the plain music in them with another eye now. Let's take "Sommarsång" that we play regularly in our community band. My conductor would also have asked us to play it light, but she would have added not to forget the trolls in the forest at the appropriate places and even if she hadn't done that, we would have added them anyway. Listening to you playing it, it was just great in another way that still was almost on the same path!

I also really liked the variations on a theme and rondo. Very nice find!

The cover painting, I live pretty close to where that one was painted. It's on the other side of the forest, so to say, 20 kilometers to the west. We had that kind of weather today.

[coraltrpt]

Thank you so much for the kind words. My family immigrated from Sweden to the US in the early 1900s, and my grandmother kept us connected to much of the traditions of her family. It's an honor to know that it resonated with you both, it's nice to know I wasn't too far off the path.

I know what you mean about Sommarsang. It's a wonderful song that carries so much depth underneath its deceptively "simple" structure. I love the poetry that goes along with it so much. The third verse is so powerful. Not to mention the rich harmonies that Ahlen composed. I feel moved when I hear it too.

That's so cool you live so close to the home of Carl Larsson. Again, I'm a huge fan of his work.

PS - I own a A&O Bb kornett. What an awesome tradition you both get to be a part of.

[RajaTrumpet]

Thanks for sharing a so beautiful, refined and well played music!

Do you guys consider selling the album's sheet music?
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