Ewald Articles on ICON

Viktor Ewald

Due to their size, I have uploaded the complete articles on Ewald and his brass quintets onto our ICON site. You will also find a table of selected major composers and compositions for brass ensembles.

Eras and Traditions; An Interactive Outline

This is an online interactive edition of Monday's lecture. Use it as a starting point for your research for your historical perspectives papers. Brass instruments, and brass ensembles have been around for thousands of years. Your paper topic should illuminate one aspect of this rich heritage. You will find more specialized resources in journals, and books than on the internet in most cases. Focus on a topic or subject before the 20th century. To understand brass ensembles as a genre, it is necessary to examine our past.

Brass Ensemble History

A. Prehistoric - brass functioned as signals (shells, animal horns)
B. Antiquity

1. Ancient Egypt - ceremonial, trumpet in Tutankhamun’s tomb
2. Ancient Greece - Apollonian & Dyonesian dichotomy, salpinx (salphinx)
3. Ancient Rome - Martial, Roman Tuba, Buccini (spiral infantry bugles), Cornu
4. Ancient Hebrews - sacred/ceremonial, shofar
5. Russia - lur; horn bands (Mares[ch] in Bohemia, Czar Alexander); Rozhok (wooden Russian cornet); composers Cannobio & Glinka

6. Other - Nefer (Morroccan trumpet); Irish Bronze Age horns; Asia? Africa?

C. Middle Ages

1. Sacred vs. secular
2. Early Brass: Serpant, Sackbut, Cornetti, etc.
3. Minstrels, troubadours/trouveres?, Brass associated with royalty & battle

D. Rennaissance

1. Civic Brass Musicians: Waits (UK); Stadtpfeiffers (Gr); Pifferi (It.) Alto Capella

E. Baroque

1. Polychoral/antiphonal brass ensembles;
2. Use of natural horns, trumpets;
3. Birth of opera, chamber music
4. Brass players “let indoors” (Monteverdi L’Orfeo - 1607)

F. Classical

1. More brasses incorporated into orchestra
2. Harmoniemusik, Tafelmusik, Serenades
3. Eggert & Beethoven use trombone section in orchestra

G. Romantic

1. Major developments:

a. 1815 - valves patented
b. 1835 - tuba patented, brass choir (SATB) complete
c. 1865 - Civil War, regimental bands, saxhorns

2. Composers write for full brass section (Wagner, Berlioz, Tchaik., Strauss)

3. British Brass Band tradition

H. Modern (end of 19th C., beginning of 20th)

1. First brass quintets, sextets

• Bellon (1795-1867) 12 Quintets written between 1848 and 1850
• Alyabyev [Aljabjew] (1787-1851)
• Ewald (1860-1935)
• Böhme (1870-1938)
• Maurer (1789-1878)

2. Modern brass bands, brass choirs, trios, quartet, quintets, etc.
3. Modernists, extended range, extended techniques

Online Resources:

• A Bibliography of Writings about Historic Brass Instruments (Indiana University Library
• The Brass Players Museum (Springfield, MA)
• Historic Brass Society (free registration required)
• Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments
• A Brief History of Horn Evolution (Thomas Bacon)
• The Tuba; Its Historical Developement and Use
• The Wallace Collection - link includes a brief overview of brass quintet history

Related Grove Online Articles:

• Brass band history before 1600
• Military music 1600-1800
• Civic and church bands 1600-1800
• Calvary bands
• British brass band movement
• American brass bands

Journal Articles (Ewald & Russian Traditions):

1. Smith, André. “Brass in Early Russia: From the Beginnings to the Birth of Victor Ewald, 1860.” International Trumpet Guild Journal. December, 1993, pp. 5-20.
2. _______ “Victor Vladimirovich Ewald (1860-1935) Civil Engineer & Musician”. International Trumpet Guild Journal. February, 1994, pp. 5-23.
3. _______ “The History of the Four Quintets for Brass by Victor Ewald. International Trumpet Guild Journal. May, 1994, pp. 5-33.

Axiom Brass

Axiom Brass

I recently discovered this up-and-coming brass quintet, and I was very impressed with what I saw and heard.

Their website is slick, modern, and updated - which is more than I can say for many brass quintet websites. Their press material looks outstanding, and the sound files and videos on their site are impressive.

Even though the group has only been in existence for a few years, they have accomplished a lot, including winning several prestigious competitions. They have an excellent example of a press kit here (under Press in the main menu). This quote is from their publicity materials:

Praised for their “high level of musicality and technical ability” and for their “clean, clear and precise sound”, the award-winning Axiom Brass Quintet has quickly established itself as “one of the major art music groups in brass chamber music.” Winners of the 2008 International Chamber Brass Competition and prize-winners of the 2010 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition, the Preis der Europa-Stadt Passau, the Plowman Chamber Music Competition, and the Jeju City International Brass Quintet Competition in South Korea, the Axiom Brass is dedicated to enhancing the musical life of communities across the globe and educating the next generation of musicians.

Blogging Resources

Next week, you will each need to launch your blog project. I have some resources listed below which you will find very helpful. I recommend Blogger or Wordpress:

Getting Started:

• Blogging at WritersWrite.com
• Blogging-Resources
• Blogging: An Introduction
• EduBlogs
  

Free Blogging Host Sites:

• Blogger
• Wordpress
• LiVEJournal
• BraveNet
• Xanga
• Typepad

Some classical music blogs:

• The Rest is Noise
• Brass Musician
• Classical Music (Cincinnati.com)
• Pittsburgh Symphony Blog
• The Well-Tempered Blog
• Scottish Symphony Orchestra
• Adaptistration
• Horn Roller
• Jason Heath's Double Bass Blog
• I was doing alright

General Guidelines:

• Pick a theme or subject. (such as Civil War Brass Bands, or South American Brass Quintets, etc.)
• Set up your blog and email the name and location of your blog so I can link to it here.
• Post twice weekly. I would recommend using your blogs publication schedule reminder if they have one.
• Think of your blog as a combination online guide to your subject and personal journal for this course.
  
• In addition to commentary, create hyperlinks, post pictures, and explore your subject.
• Be sure to check out the blogs of the other students and make occassional comments.
  
• Let me know if you encounter any problems. Be sure to use a free blogging host, and experiment with a few posts to see if you can easily navigate their interface.

On Blogging Well

I thought it might be helpful to offer some advice and point you to some links to help you with your blogging projects. It's best to think of your blog as a personal expression and a place to share your ideas and thoughts - much like a diary or journal, but much more public. In the case of your ABEL blog, it might be helpful to think of your blog as an online version of a thoughtful comment in a class discussion. Tell us what you think, what you feel, what you heard, and show us where to find it. Most blogs have a theme, or focus and many have several categories of topics. Occasionally, it's OK to stray off of your topic, especially if it is course-related.

As a reminder, the assignment reads:

Blog Project (2 weekly posts; with a focus on class-related topic of your choice)

• Start blog and begin weekly posts by January 25th, project due April 23rd
• Topic to be determined by the second week of class and subject to approval
• Average of two posts per week
• Post comments on other students’ blogs

Part of the assignment is to post comments on each others blogs. Neither the posts or comments need to be lengthy to be significant. The advantage to this assignment is that it can be accomplished five minutes at a time, at your convenience, and the focus is you - what you think, what you know, what you've heard, seen or done. Remember, just like a research paper, if you use someone else's material, credit the original source and put it in quotations.

Here are some links to help you with the process.  

• Five Steps to Good Blogging from Newsome.org  
• Blogging Tips  

Here are some ideas for blog postings:  

• Sign up for a Google Alert on your topic and receive email notifications of new stories about your topic.
• Blog about something we discussed in class.
• Blog about someone else's topic.
• Link to a site that has free streaming audio of recording related to your topic

Here are some good examples of music blogs to model:

• The Score - a New York Times blog by American composers
• Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra blog
• The Brass Factory
• Alex Ross: The Rest is Noise
• MusicThing

Here are some of the most popular non-music-related blogs:

• Lifehacker
• Engadget
  
• The Dilbert blog
• Boing Boing

So, keep up with your blogs, and like any writer, just do it. Also remember that the thing that draws people to blogs is fresh content, so keep generating new thoughts. I look forward to reading your posts and comments.

New Work for Brass Quintet and Wind Ensemble

Triton Brass Quintet

The Triton Brass Quintet and the Boston Conservatory Wind Ensemble recently premiered "What We Do Is Secret" by Lansing McLoskey. Check out a recording of this amazing performance here.

Copper Street Brass Quintet

The Copper Street Brass Quintet was founded in 2008 and is founded in Minneapolis, MN. Their newest member, Ed Hong, just graduated from the University of Iowa with a Masters degree in trumpet. The group is very active, and is certainly worth our attention. Their website is organized, informative and modern. I especially liked their Multimedia page, with links to purchase their recordings and videos of their recent projects, like "The Evolution of the Brass Quintet". From 2009 to 2011, Ed was the second trumpet player in the Iowa Brass Quintet, and a student of Dr. Amy Schendel's.

A History of the Wind Band by Dr. Stephen Rhodes

The Lochgelly Band, a coal miners' band in Scotland, 1890

Dr. Stephen Rhodes, Director of Bands at Lipscomb University, has published an online version of his very informative paper, A History of the Wind Band. Of particular interest to this course, is chapter 7; The British Brass Band. Rhodes presents a possible explaination for the popularity of brass instruments in this excerpt: 

The growing popularity of brass instruments was aided by the endorsements of influential musicians such as the Distin family. This group of traveling musicians provided Adolph Sax with a ringing endorsement for his family of saxhorns. Prior to their 1844 encounter with Sax, the Distins made their reputation playing on slide trumpets, French Horns, keyed bugles and trombones. The Distins--John and his four sons--helped foster a new market for manufactured brass instruments and published music, primarily among the new and more affluent working class communities. In 1846 they became the British agent for Saxhorns--a short-term venture, as they began manufacturing their own instruments in 1850 after John's son Henry took over the family firm in 1849. 

There is speculation as to why the brass band became popular so quickly, to the neglect of military bands or orchestras. Several reasons are possible. One is that valved instruments were suitable for mass production at a relatively cheap price--something not possible on woodwinds and keyed brasses that relied on the traditional craft skills. Also, a three-valved instrument tends to be somewhat more "user friendly" as opposed to the initial intimidation that a keyed instrument can evoke. Plus, the ease with which it fits into one's hands makes it initially easier to hold, as opposed to a violin or flute for example.

Final Presentations - Professional Brass Ensembles

Today, for our final class, we heard presentations on professional brass ensembles, and I must say I was very impressed with the quality of the groups. Both the Eastern Kentucky University Brass Quintet and the Fine Arts Brass Quintet impressed me in their depth and dedication. As I mentioned in class, not in a "knock-you-over-the-head-with-our-fancy-press-material-and-viral videos" way, but in a quietly substantial way.

Eastern Kentucky University Brass Quintet

One of the dilemmas of a faculty brass quintet is that very few institutions have two trumpet faculty, so many assign the other trumpet part to a graduate student. This provides the student with an outstanding learning opportunity and affords them some valuable performing experience. As at the University of Iowa, if this position is attached to an assistantship, it serves as a great way to attract talented graduate students and is probably the ultimate "work study" program for students.

The fact that EKU happens to have two faculty trumpet positions is an incredible stroke of luck, and serves to bolster the quality of the group, while avoiding the "rotating chair" effect Evan mentioned. Even more impressive, is that the other trumpet player is on the theory faculty and an active and talented composer is a musical coup.

To learn more about the group, visit their website or watch their videos on their YouTube channel.

Fine Arts Brass Quintet

I had heard of the Fine Arts Brass Quintet but had no idea of their rich history and longevity. Formed in 1980, they have a long history of premiering works and despite their longevity, they have had relatively little personnel turnover. Kate also pointed out some of the hidden gems in their less-than-flashy website; like their FAB Tooters Tips and their extensive list of programs and program notes.

Both of these groups have made significant contributions to their field, and have been quietly successful for many years and deserve our attention. Here's to substance over superficiality!

Listening Session - 5/2/11

For our final listening session in Advanced Brass Ensemble Literature, I presented a collection of recordings I recently purchased featuring underrepresented styles: the brass trio, Mexican Banda music, and a brass "Shout Band."

We began with Antoine et Cleopatra, composed by Florent Schmitt (1870-1958). from the French recording "Musique Française - Grandes Fanfares Du XX Siècle by the Grand Ensemble de Cuivres et Percussion des Hauts de France (Rhapsody link) . This recording also includes an excellent performance of Tomasi's Fanfare Liturgiques.

From the University of Maryland Brass Trio recording (Amazon link), we heard David Sampson's "Duncan Trio". Movements were: I. Reflection, II. Solemn Hymn, and III. Crooked Dance in its entirety. We also heard about a minute each of the rest of the tracks, which included brass trios by Nelhybell, Plog, Hovanhess, Ewazen, and Bernofsky. This is a fantastic recording, with a great selection of repertoire and virtuoso playing by Chris Gekker, Greg Miller, and Matt Guilford.

For something completely different, we then heard La Arrolladora Banda el Limón  playing "Mi Gusto Es", and watched a bit of the YouTube video of Banda El Recodo - Te Presumo. It is very encouraging to see that Mexican pop/regional music still embraces a strong brass tradition.

Finally, in the tradition of Pentacostal Brass Shout Bands, we heard Kenny Carr and the Tigers play Fix Me and watched a short video of one of their performances. Truly inspiring.

Rehearsal Techniques

Today we discussed some interesting scenarios regarding brass ensemble challenges. That led to the creation of a "Top Ten" list of rehearsal techniques. Here is what we came up with:

1. Group warm up (scales, chords, chorales)
2. Recording and immediate playback
3. Simply and clarify the music (slower tempos, staccato version, remove melody)
4. Rehearse with an amplified metronome
5. Conceptualize a uniform group tone
6. Score study (everyone gets a copy, study individually, write in cues)
7. Sing and conduct (great when fatigued)
8. Group listening (to recordings of group and to reference recordings)
9. Research (historical background, composer information)
10. Comparitive playing (motifs, fugue themes, articulation and phrase checking)

Listening Session - 4/20/11

Wednesday morning, we had a group listening presentation, and Kate played for us a recording of Leonard Bernstein's Prelude, Fugue, and Riffs. Check out the video below of Bernstein himself conducting (from memory):



I played two selections from Meridian Arts Ensemble's recording called "Ear Mind I". They were Tom Pierson's Brass Quintet, which was commissioned by MAE, and their arrangement of Franz Zappa's Lumpy Gravy.

Ten Blogging Tips

Ten Blogging Tips:

1. I like to use an add-on called Scribefire for blogging because it splits the screen, allowing you to view a website and write simultaneously. You can also save posts, change settings, write using HTML, insert youtube videos and images easily, and publish right to your blog.

2. Sign up for a Google News Alert on some aspect of your blog subject and you will receive periodic updates on the latest information.

3. Read other blogs related to your subject and comment on that blog as well as on your own.

4. Do a Google Image Search for interesting pictures related to your theme.

5. Do a "Ten Things..." list.

6. Make your opinion known. Write 200 words on what you have learned about your theme.

7. Blog about the group you will feature for your final project.

8. Blog about your listening presentations; include artist, composer, performers, label, where to find the recording etc.

9. Make comments on each others' blogs.

10. Blog about class-related topics, such as the pieces and composers of the Landmark Works lecture discussions, or current trends in brass ensemble literature.

Alvin Etler Pictures

Alvin Etler's grandson commented on this blog last year and was kind enough to share with me some pictures of Alvin Etler. We both noticed that there is not much information, especially photos of him, on the internet. Here are the photos:

Alvin Etler

Today, we studied the Brass Quintet by Alvin Etler, so I have re-posted this from last year:.

Etler's Wikipedia entry reads:

Alvin Derald Etler (February 19, 1913 - June 13, 1973) was an American composer and oboist. A student of Paul Hindemith, Etler is noted for his highly rhythmic, harmonically and texturally complex compositional style, taking inspiration from the works of Bartók and Copland as well as the dissonant and accented styles of jazz.
Though he played with the Indianapolis Symphony in 1938, he abandoned his orchestral life shortly thereafter to focus on his increasingly successful compositional career (which earned him two Guggenheim Fellowships during this period). In 1942 he joined the faculty at Yale University as conductor of the university band and instructor of wind instruments, where he began his studies with Hindemith. He also taught at Cornell University and University of Illinois before accepting a position at Smith College, which he held until his death. Notable works include his two woodwind quintets (from 1955 and 1957), a bassoon sonata, the 1963 "Quintet for Brass Instruments", and "Fragments" for woodwind quartet.
Etler is also the author of Making Music: An Introduction to Theory, an introductory-level theory text published posthumously in 1974.

Works list at G. Schirmer

Beethoven, Aliabev, and Bellon

Jean Francois Bellon (1795-1867)

Today we listened to Beethoven's Three Equali (1812), a Brass Quintet by Alexander Aliabiev [Aljabjew] (1787-1851), and Brass Quintet No. 1 by Jean Francois Bellon (1795-1867).

For more about each of these works, check out the following links:

• Beethoven Three Equali entry in Oxford Music Online
• Hear samples of Bellon's Brass Quintets on Classics Online 
• More about Aliabiev here from Musicalion.com
• A bio about Jean Francois Bellon here and a link to listen at GMN here
• Information regarding the Bellon quintets (from Editions BIM):

These 12 quintets, composed between 1848 and 1850, were all published in Paris during the 1850’s by Richault. The present, virtually complete edition of the entire series - lacking only the final movement of Quintet No. 12 - was realized thanks to the efforts of John Wallace, Anthony George and Anthony Rickard for quintets Nos. 1, 2 and 12, (which, together with No. 3, had been consigned to the British Library, London) and Raymond Lapie, owner of Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, and editor of this complete edition. Quintet No. 12 is reprinted from a later edition dating to the final years of the 19th century, and which appeared in full score form in the London musical review, “Orpheus Journal”. From a musical standpoint, this new edition (Quintet No. 12 excepted) refers and fundamentally adheres to the original printed instrumental parts, issued without full scores in the 1850’s. A full score for each quintet has been reconstructed to permit better analysis of the music. Only flagrant errors and a few doubtful chords have been indicated as such and corrected. The five instruments originally specified were: 1) a small flugelhorn in Eb (or trumpet, or piston-valve cornet in Bb/A), 2) a piston-valve cornet in Bb/A, 3) a horn, 4) a trombone and 5) an ophicleide (in Bb or C). These works may be performed today on period instruments or with modern ones, as desired; in the latter case however, it being well to adapt the dynamics, especially if trumpets replace the cornets. The Eb flugelhorn part, as specified and provided for by the Richault edition already, can also be played on piston-valve cornet. The ophicleide part is playable on tuba (preferably an F tuba) or, better still, on euphonium or bass saxhorn. A separate brochure, relating all presently known details about these works, is published by Editions Bim (Raymond Lapie, “Jean-François-Victor Bellon, 12 major French brass quintets dating from 1848-1850, ISBN 2-88039-017-6; complete texts in French, English, German, Italian and Spanish). 

Also, from the Wikipedia article on Ewald:

For many years Ewald’s four quintets were considered to be the first original pieces composed specifically for an ensemble which is recognisable today as essentially the modern brass quintet - consisting of two treble, valved instruments, one alto, one tenor and one bass. A recent discovery of 12 four-movement brass quintets, thought to have been written in the 1840s (pre-dating Ewald by some 60 years) by the French composer Jean Francois Bellon (1795–1869; violinist and one-time leader of the Paris Opera Orchestra), show that Ewald was not actually the unwitting pioneer he was long thought to be. However, the popularity of his quintets has in no way diminished because of this.

Welcome Students - Spring 2011

Welcome to Advanced Brass Ensemble Literature, Spring 2011.

Pop Brass Ensemble Music

Today, we heard several recordings of "Pop" music recorded by various brass ensembles. They included:

Brassil plays Brazil
Nimbus Records NI5462
Brassil
We heard tracks 15-19 (Andrezza, Coletanea '93)

Rhythm and Brass
Sitting in an English Garden
Tracks 3 and 15 (Here, There and Everywhere by the Beatles, and Money/Munchkin Song by Pink Floyd/Wizard of Oz

Boston Brass
Young Fogies
How High the Moon

Empire Brass
Braggin' in Brass
Slap Happy, Braggin in Brass, St. James Infirmary

The Bollywood Brass Band
Rahmania
Mere Yaara Dildara

Frozen Brass: Africa and Latin America
PAN Records 2026CD
2. Highlife Hymm

Atlantic Brass Quintet
By George
Porgy and Bess Suite arranged by Jack Gale

Metalofonico

Metalofonico - a group founded by Jon Nelson and comprised of members of the Meridian Arts Ensemble, the Atlantic Brass Quintet, and the LA Philharmonic - recorded the CD we heard in class Monday. The piece featured was "Insomnio", by Jon Nelson. I am proud of this recording, not only due to the quality of the sound, but the variety and quality of the repertoire. If you are looking for a brass ensemble for the 21st century, check out Metalofonico.

Here is a note from 8Bells Records:

This collection of Brass Music represents the panacea of compositional innovation in Western Music. With the exception of Charles Ives, all of these composers are contemporaries. With the advent of new technologies and discovery of the past 100 years came many different modes of thought and theories of Art. In tracing the brass tradition from its folk roots to the highest artistic form of expression, an ensemble has formed out of the music contained in this cd. Influences and abilities abound in this group, comprised of musicians who are adept in virtually any style imaginable. To be blunt, these guys can play anything.

In the interest of full disclosure, here is a link to a not-so-good review.

The Loudest Brass Recording

Today we had a contest for presenting the loudest brass recording. The winner, at over 100 decibels, was this YouTube video of the sousaphone line from Virginia State.

Brass Quintet by Alvin Etler

This is a YouTube video of the Meridian Arts performing the fourth movement of the Alvin Etler Brass Quintet live in Romania, 2007.

Army Brass Quintet

Last night, the University of Iowa enjoyed a visit by the U.S. Army Band Brass Quintet, from "Pershing's Own" band in Washington D.C.  They presented a wonderful, entertaining, and classy recital - including music of Bach, Haydn, and Glinka. They are on their mid-west tour and we were pleased to be the first stop. After the concert, they generously gave a masterclass for several of our students, and provided some valuable feedback. As a brass musician, a military career is a valid option, especially in this economy, so it was good to hear and see how much these military musicians enjoy their jobs.

Brass in Blue

Last night, the Air Force Brass in Blue gave a fantastic performance at the Englert Theater in Iowa City. This group is comprised of four trumpets, two horns, two trombones, one euphonium, one tuba, one percussionist and one vocalist. Recently, all 60-piece Air Force bands were reduced to 45, which limits the wind ensemble, but has led to this very unique solution - the Brass in Blue. This group, which part of the Air Foce "Heartland of America" band is based at Offut Air Force Base in Nebraska, tours eight months out of the year. Their repertoire ranges from original works for brass choir from composers such as Ewazen and Turrin, to arrangements of marches, orchestral works, and big band style jazz standards. Today, we are honored to have Staff Segeant Matt Erickson, the leader and trombonist with the band.

Les Miserables Brass Band - "Manic Depression" from d b on Vimeo.

This is a video put out in 1990 by Les Miserables Brass Band. Very innovative and tons of talent and energy in this group which includes Marcus Rojas on tuba, Dave Harris on trombone, and Marshall Seeley on horn.

Preview some of their tracks from their album Manic Traditions on Amazon.com here.

Brass Bonanza Audio Link!

Just listen to the Brassy Goodness!

Field Trip!

Let's all go see Mnozil Brass at the Chicago Brass Festival, Sunday March 21st at 3pm at Northeastern Illinois University - I'll drive!

African Roots of New Orleans Brass Bands

Featured recently in the University of Iowa "Be Remarkable" campaign, Dr. Richard Brent Turner is the author of a new book Jazz Religion, the Second Line, and Black New Orleans. Here is an excerpt from the feature:

The second line is the group of dancers—sometimes thousands strong—who follow the first procession of church and club members, brass bands, and grand marshals in New Orleans jazz street parades, including jazz funerals.

A typical jazz funeral looks something like this: The crowd starts to gather near the close of the church service, often a Catholic mass at a site like the venerable St. Augustine’s in Tremé, the oldest African American community in the United States.

The casket is placed in a horse-drawn carriage, and the brass band leads the second line—members of Black Indian tribes wearing ritual masks, others twirling umbrellas, everyone dancing in rhythm—to the cemetery. The procession can take hours. Later, participants gather at the repast to eat, swap stories, and rest.

“These are multilayered rituals,” Turner says. “They reflect the West African spiritual philosophy that involved the entire community in the funeral ritual and sees the cemetery as a crossroads where human beings interact with the ancestral world of spirits.”
Through it all plays the music, leading the crowd in sorrow and celebration and shifting from one to the other in just a few notes, a power Turner calls “almost magical.”

This mingling of music and spirituality originated in Congo Square, the New Orleans site where slaves performed African drumming and dancing every Sunday from the late 1700s to the mid 1800s. The second line began there, drawing on African culture, Haitian Vodou, and French-Catholic influences.

A Survey of Selected Professional Brass Ensembles

 

Spanish Brass

American Horn Quartet

Est. 1982; 8 CDs; First Prize Philip Jones 1989; NOTAMUS, Brussels 1991,Tokyo 1992; 1994 NEA Chamber music grant;Rep: Schumann and Hindemith to Bernstein and Ewazen.

Sotto Voce (tuba euphonium quartet) 

Est. 1996; semi-finalists at Fischoff and CAG; 1998 ITEC and Colonial Tuba Quartet competitions; 2 CDs; Rep: Bach and Haydn to Stevens and Forbes.

American Brass Quintet

Est. 1960, Juilliard & Aspen, Stanton Mgmt., + 45CDs? “Serious brass chamber music”, “High Priests of Brass”, +100 commissions; Rep: Monteverdi & Bach to Etler and Ewazen

Canadian Brass Quintet

Est. 1970, over 70 CDs, 12 videos, +100 commissions, ICM Mgmt., Rep: Bach and Mozart to Jelly Roll Morton and Sousa

Dallas Brass

Brass Quintet plus percussion, Est. 1983, 5 CDs, Rhythm and Brass spinoff

Meridian Arts Ensemble
Brass quintet with drummer; 1990 Concert Artist Guild, (ASCAP/CMA); Adventurous Programming awards; 8 CDs; Rep: Gesualdo and Bach to Babbitt and Zappa.

Chestnut Brass Company

Brass Quintet; Est. 1977, Grammy Award, +12 CDs, specializes in brass music on original instruments, SMG Artists.

Empire Brass Quintet

Est.1971, CAMI, Naumberg Award 197?, 18 CDs, Boston University, Tanglewood, Telarc

Spanish Brass Luur Metalls

Est. 1989, Staumvi Trumpets, Romera Brass mouthpiece collection, 9 CDs & 1 DVD, Won Narbonne prize 1996, Academia Spanish Brass

Mnozil Brass (Brass Septet) 

Est. 1990, Austrian, 5 CDs, 100 concerts annually, very unique singing, choreographed entertainment-oriented band.

Other Notable Small Ensembles:

• Saint Louis Brass Quintet
• Proteus 7
• Boston Brass
• Center City Brass Quintet             
• Trombones de Costa Rica
• Dirty Dozen Brass Band
• Youngblood Brass Band

Listening Session No. 1

Today we had our first listening session. I foccused on brass quintets and larger ensembles, and alternated between the two. We heard:

• Giovanni Gabrieli Canzona Per Sonare No. 27 and Canzon quarti toni from the CD "The Antiphonal Music of Gabriel", featuring the brass sections of the Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago Symphonies of 1968. [Sony Classical MHK 62353]

• Alexander Aliabev Quintet from the CD "Russian Music for Brass" by the Montanus Quintett [Fermate FER 20022]

• George Lloyd Symphony No. 10 'November Journeys'. We heard the fourth movement, entitled "Energico". This recording is of the London Collegiate Brass, conducted by James Stobart [Trax Classique TRXCD 114]

• David Sampson Distant Voices, movement IV "Ben and Mark; My Sons". This recording is called "Premier!", by the American Brass Quintet [Summit Records DCD 187]

• Rusasca de la Buzdug by the Balkan Brass Band "Fanfare Ciocarlia". The CD is called "Radio Pascani" [Piranha CD PIR 1254]

Spring 2010

Photo: Old Merry Tale Jazzband from Hamburg, Germany

Welcome students of Advanced Brass Ensemble Literature to the Spring 2010 semester. This blog will serve as the class blog, which I will maintain, and as central hub for all of your student blogs.

Here you can view posts regarding our recent and/or upcoming classes, view links to brass ensembles and student blogs from past semesters, as well as your own. All past posts are archived, so you can review what past classes have covered and get ideas from other blogs. One of your assignments will be to create and maintain your own course-related blog, with a theme you choose, so peruse what others have done to get ideas.

Check out the following ABEL Central posts for blogging help:

• Blogging Resources
• On Blogging Well

Other helpful links:

• Starting a Blog
• Seven Blogging Tools Reviewed from Tech Soup
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Final Class

Today, for our final class meeting of the semester, we enjoyed student presentations on professional brass ensembles. The three groups featured were the Giannini Brass (Chris); Sotto Voce (Blaine); and the TransAtlantic Horn Quartet (Jessica).

Things we learned:

• If your ensemble spends the time and money to create a promotional DVD, be sure it is compatible with all operating systems.
• Be sure to proof-read and edit all promotional materials!
• Some of the most significant and meaningful contributions these ensembles have made were due to being creative and interdisciplinary.
• Keep publicity materials as up to date as possible
  
• Don't expect to make a lot of money as a professional musician - so do it for the love of music.
  

Listening Session 4/28/09; "Old and New"

Wednesday's listening presentation was based on the theme of "Old and New." Naturally, we started by listening to the classic recording of some of the earliest music know for brass ensembles, the Gabrieli recording made by the combined brass sections of the Philadelphia Cleveland Chicago Symphony Orchestras. If you own one brass ensemble recording, this is a must. The title of this Sony CD "The Antiphonal Music of Gabrieli", and the composition we heard was Canzon septimi toni No. 2.

We then heard a different Telarc recording, made by the Empire Brass in 1985 along with some other Boston brass musicians. Despite being recorded in 1968, the digital remastered CD sounds remarkably clear. One thing we noticed between the two groups, was the the Empire Brass observed different tempo relationships at the meter changes, and had a deeper sound due to the tubas playing in the lower octaves. The Empire Brass has also released a second Gabrieli recording (re-issue?) , "The Glory of Gabrieli" with the New York Philharmonic and Boston Symphony brass sections.

We then heard both old and new music from the American Brass Quintet. Battle Suite, by Samuel Scheidt (1587-1654) is from the Delos recording "American Brass Quintet plays Renaissance, Elizabethan, and Baroque Music." Everything on that CD was composed prior to 1750.
In contrast, the works on their recording "American Premiers" featured works written between 1989 and 1993, and includes works by Shculler, Sampson, Welcher, and Jan Bach. We heard the Gunther Schuller Brass Quintet No. 2 and David Sampson's Distant Voices. Desite the chronological gap between the compositinal eras and styles of both of these recordings, it is noteable that there are some similarities, such as the use of alternating textures, dynamics through orchestration, and the exploitation of both the ability for brasses to sound loud and majestic, as well as delicate and mysterious or solemn.

[Image above from the new website for the Los Angeles Brass Ensemble. Give them a listen]

Non-Traditional Brass Ensembles

On Monday, we listened to several groups that fall under the category of "non-traditional" or "crossover" brass ensembles. Among them was Metalofonico, which is comprised of members of the Atlantic Brass Quintet, the Meridian Arts Ensemble, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Mexico City Symphony, and percussion from the University of Buffalo. The piece we heard is an original composition by Jon Nelson, professor of trumpet at the University of Buffalo, and founding member of the MAE, called Insomnio. In it, you may have heard influences of Ives, Tomasi, and Frank Zappa. You can hear Metalofonico on their myspace page here.

From the CD "Brassil plays Brazil", we heard track six, Gonzagueando, by José Ursicino da Silva ("Duda"). Duda combines typical Brasilian folk/pop music, but in a well crafted way, and the Quinteto Brassil plays brilliantly. You can order this CD here.

Ryhthm and Brass, from their recording Sitting in An English Garden." We heard track fifteen, Money/Lollipop Guild/Eclipse, which combines elements of the Pink Floyd and the Wizard of Oz. Rhythm and brass are best known for the fine playing, but also presenting the brass quintet in a new light, with the addition of percussion, keyboards, synthesizers, and elements of jazz and rock. You can read about and listen to Rhythm and Brass at their myspace page here.

One of my favorite Balkan Brass Bands is the Kocani Orkestar, from Macedonia. We heard Solo Tapan from their recording "Kocani Orkestar; Gypsy Brass Band." Kocani Orkestar is non only a Balkan Brass band, but they combine elements of "Western" popular music. I recommend listening to Romani Kaj on their myspace page here.

Finally, representing both "non-traditional" and "crossover", we heard the Bollywood Brass Band. They have combined the Indian Raga style of music used in films from "Bollywood", with elements of funk, jazz, and perhaps a bit of the British Brass Band tradition. We heard Mere Yaara Dildara from their recording "Rahmania; the music of A.R. Rahman" What, or where is "Bollywood"? It is the nickname for the film industry in Mumbai India (the Hollywood of India). The nickname combines the "B" (from Bombay, the former name of Mumbai) with the term "Hollywood".

The most exciting when you combine disparate elements, especially in music, is that you end up with a very interesting and appealing new genre. We have talked a lot about our history and traditions in brass ensemble literature, but never forget that there is a future - one that we all may potentially be part of creating.

New Orleans Brass Bands; An American Original

Blaine's presentation today included selections by the Americus Brass Band, the Eastern Iowa Brass Band, Symphonia and the Rebirth Brass Band. As I mentioned in class, we must be sure to include the tradition of New Orleans style brass bands in our study of Brass Ensemble Literature, despite the fact that it falls under the category of "non-classical" music. Firstly, it is the only brass ensemble tradition that originated in the United States. Secondly, like all brass ensembles, it is interesting to note how they take on the challenge of repertoire with a combination of original compositions, treatments of standard jazz and dixieland tunes, and "covers" of popular music genres such as Motown, R & B, pop, and even latin jazz. This style of brass ensemble was instrumental in the development and spread of American jazz, and the fact that this genre still thrives today (with the likes of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Rebirth, and many others) is a testament to its staying power and helps secure the future of this style. Here are some concepts and links you will find valuable for further research:

• Second Line - refers to the second line of revelers in a jazz funeral procession, after the "main line", or the band with the parade permit.
• Jazz Funeral - from New Orleans Online
• A Brief History of New Orleans Jazz - from the National Park Service
• The History of Brass Bands in New Orelans - from the Hurricane Brass Band site, from the Netherlands! They also have a nice page about brass band books and DVDs.
• Photos of New Orleans Jazz funerals - by George Payne of Cajun Images

Brazz Brothers

Monday, we all enjoyed viewing this promotional video of the Brazz Brothers. Like good travel writing, this video makes you want to "be there" - to try playing these different styles of music. Not only is it entertaining, but entices the listener and inspires fellow musicians.

I like the fact that a "niche" can be multifaceted. In their case, the Brazz Brothers not only specialize in jazzy selections, but excel at combining and celebrating music of diverse cultures such as African, Japanese, and Norwegian. Additionally, they are very accomplished singers in multiple languages.

Geographical Brass Ensembles

Jessica's presentation on Wednesday included the CDs Dallas Trumpets and The London Horn Sound. Both were outstanding recordings, and both have a geographical connection, signifying the unique qualities of the sound styles of those two places.

Our library has a copy, or you can buy Dallas Trumpets online here. On Arkiv music, they also list another recording called Music for Festive Occassions.

The London Horn Sound is part of a larger series of "London Sound" recordings available on Cala Records. The series includes The London Trumpet Sound and the London Trombone Sound, in addition to cello, double bass and viola ensembles.

Cor de Chasse and English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble

Today we heard a few selections of Cor de Chasse (hunting horn) ensembles. Here is a unique YouTube video synchronizing the tempo of a horn call with the tempo of the horse's hooves.

Here's another featuring a real ensemble



The recording of Italian Renaissence brass music was by the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble. The name of the album was titled Accendo, on the Deux-Elles label.

Moravian Brass and Trombone Shout Bands

Today, I mentioned two rich brass ensemble traditions; Moravian Brass and Trombone Shout Bands. Here are some links and a great video to whet your appetite.

• Moravian Music Foundation
• Moravian Music from NPR
• Moravian Trombone Choir FAQ

Click below for an inspirational performance by the Sweet Heaven Kings video of their White House Christmas appearance

Check out the inspirational playing at a funeral by The Madison Clouds Shout Band video on YouTube.

Here's a link that brings that allows you to see recording details, and hear samples from a Folkways Recording called Saints' Paradise

Arnold and Trombones de Costa Rica

Today we listened to the Symphony for Brass, Op. 123 by Sir Malcom Arnold as performed by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, from their Decca CD with conductor Keith Snell.

We also heard several selections from the CD "Imagenes" by the Trombones de Costa, including "Motives" and "Imagenes", both by the Costa Rican composer Vinicio Meza.

Welcome Spring 2009 Students

Welcome back to school, I think we (all four of us!) are going to have a great semester. You now have the updated syllabus and composer table and a good idea of the assignments. Be sure to peruse older posts on this blog, as well as the student blogs from the past two years listed on the sidebar to the right. You can even get a sneak peak at my Historical Perspectives lecture by checking out this post, or this one. I also wanted to remind you that instead of class Monday, I will meet with each of you individually to discuss your blog and other projects.

To kick off the semester, and in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, check this You Tube video by the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble:

Guide to the Brass Quintet

I just discovered a great online project created by Dr. James Boldin from The University of Louisiana at Monroe horn brass quintet excerpts.

The Guide to the Brass Quintet is an excellent resource for horn players, highlighting the value of chamber music study, as well as an excellent guide to serious repertoire of the brass quintet.

If you are a horn player, especially one who is striving to form a serious brass quintet to audition for one, this is the resource for you. Nice work Dr. Boldin.

Quadre Horn Quartet

Patrick just notified me that Quadre, the ensemble that was the subject of his final project, has posted his interview on their blog:

Patrick Rappleye got in touch with me in April. He is a masters student in horn performance at the University of Iowa. He was asked to put together a presentation on a brass ensemble and he chose us! What follows are the interview questions he sent me along with my answers. You can also see this interview along with other interesting tidbits that involve brass ensembles from around the world by going to Patirck's blog here.

PATRICK: How do you book concerts? Do you have a management service or do it on your own and what are the main difficulties?

DANIEL: QUADRE is a self-managed ensemble. Our strategy for booking concerts is two fold.

First, we have a series of home concerts we produce in the San Francisco Bay Area where we are based. We usually present 3 to 4 home concert series a year. Venues for these series include one or more of the following: performing art centers, community music schools, churches, and private homes. These events give us a chance to regularly connect with our local supporters. They also give us the opportunity to try new things out programmatically.

Second, we set up tours around the country. They usually last from 7-10 days although we were once on the road for a whole month. We find presenters – those that book us for concerts – through booking conferences and associations (Western Arts Alliance, Chamber Music America), our online research of venues in different geographic areas, and our own personal contacts.

Both of these strategies take a great deal of work. We are a nonprofit organization with 4 artists, one paid staff-person (myself), 4 volunteers, and a board of directors made up of 7 citizens from the community. In regards to booking concerts, the volunteers and I construct the tours (contracts, travel), manage the books, and handle the fundraising/development. The board helps ensure the long-term health of the organization and maintain its financial stability. Administratively, the artists organize and decide the programming, contribute potential leads and contacts, and help out as needed (grants, artistic partnerships.)

Of the two strategies above, the first one is contingent on being open to potential partnerships and collaborations. Most of this work is made possible due to revenue from contributed (grants and personal appeals) and earned sources (ticket sales and performance fees.) For the second strategy of tours, most of our revenue comes from performance fees with a little supplemental income coming from merchandise sales (sheet music and CDs).

The main difficulty with both of these core activities is finding the partners and clients to make them possible. After ten years in the business, it is easier although it is still a constant challenge.

Poulenc Brass Trio

Today we began the "Landmark Works" unit of our class, with a listening/score study of Poulenc's Brass Trio. Here are a few quotes from several sources about this piece and its composer:

From ClassicalNet:

"Poulenc behaved like a sophisticated eccentric (he once chatted up a stupefied Cannes bartender about an ingenious harmonic progression he managed to pull off that morning), and the eccentricity not surprisingly showed up in his music. Many have called attention to his split artistic personality, "part monk, part guttersnipe," but really he has many more sides. Like most French composers of his generation, he fell under the influences of Stravinsky and Satie. Yet he doesn't imitate either. You can identify a Poulenc composition immediately with its bright colors, strong, clear rhythms, and gorgeous and novel diatonic harmonies. He is warmer and less intellectual than Stravinsky, more passionate and musically more refined than Satie."

"Francis Poulenc: Shocking the bourgeoisie" from The Timid Soul's Guide to Classical Music by James Reel:

"All right, it's an exaggeration to say that Francis Poulenc was the Sid Vicious of 1920s French art music. But Poulenc and his circle hit the classical music scene with almost the same biting, nihilistic force with which the punk movement slammed into popular music in the 1970s and early '80s.

Both movements were big on irony and mockery, including self-mockery. The goal was to shock the bourgeoisie, to burn off the sugar coating that music had been collecting in the previous decades. And both movements were absorbed into the mainstream in barely a decade. Francis Poulenc joined a circle of young composers gathered around the eccentric Erik Satie, the famous scribbler of whimsically titled pieces ("Gymnopédies,'' "Vexations'' and the like) with nonsensical comments running through the scores.

Satie's followers opposed the vagueness of Impressionism, the style typified by Claude Debussy's "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.'' They advocated simplicity and clarity. They also thought emotions should be more restrained than they had been in late 19th century Romantic music, although the Satie set eagerly made exceptions to the rule of restraint for the purposes of satire.

In 1920, a critic dubbed the half-dozen leading members of this circle - Poulenc, Darius Milhaud, Arthur Honegger, Georges Auric, Germaine, Tailleferre and Louis Durey - "Les Six.''

As a composer, Poulenc was largely self-taught, and one method of self-education is imitation. Many of Poulenc's early works, including a sonata for two clarinets and a brass trio, mimic the ironic Neoclassicism of Igor Stravinsky."

Empire Brass

The Empire Brass Quintet has had a profound influence on my career, as well as hundreds of their students. In class, some of you have inquired about what they have been up to lately. Here is an excellent review of a recent performance they gave in North Carolina.

Large Brass Ensemble Listening

Today, we heard the following recordings of large brass ensembles:

•British Music for Brass by the Phillip Jones Brass Ensemble with Howard Snell. More recordings by PJBE here.

We heard the Malcolm Arnold Symphony for Brass.


•Brass Festival by the Scandanavian Brass Ensemble. We heard Vagn Holmboe Concerto for Brass Op. 157


Art mentioned the Finnish Music Information Centre which is a a great resource to obtain free music by Finnish composers.

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Russian Brass Quintet Music

On Wednesday, we heard most of this recording made by the Montanus Brass Quintet. It contains some numerous significant works for brass quintet by Russian composers, as well as a few transcriptions that work well for quintet.

Hear the CD (allow pop-up for player) or here (hold mouse over notes icon until icon spins)

Here is the track-listing to help you with your research on these composers, works and arrangers:

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Welcome

Welcome to ABEL Central, the official blog for the Advanced Brass Ensemble Literature course at the University of Iowa. I will be updating this blog throughout the semester (Spring 2008), but may refer you to older posts from previous semsters. This blog is meant to complement our ICON site, which include course materials, assignments, and grades. I look forward to working with all of you and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Score Study - Etler and Tomasi

This morning we studied the scores and recordings of the following works:

• Quintet for Brass Instruments (1963) by Alvin Etler
  Atlantic Brass Quintet - Five Chairs
  Summit Records DCD396
  
  
• Fanfare Liturgique by Henri Tomasi
  Millar Brass Ensemble
  Crystal Records CD 433
  

3-28-07 Listening

Today we had an impromptu listening session of the following recordings:

Je Me Souviens: La Musique du Royal 22e Régiment
The Van Doo's Band of the Royal 22^e Régiment, 1964
RCA PCS 1006/1007


1. Fanfare for a Dignified Occassion
2. Vive la Canadienne

We also heard some selections from the Atlantic Brass Quintet Fanfares and Passages CD:

Passages, a work we commissioned from Boston composer Sam Headrick and Jeff Luke's arrangement of Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 by Franz Liszt.

Alphorn Ensembles

Alphorns have a long tradition in Europe, and it is fascinating to see how much information there is about Alphorn ensembles on the web. Be sure to check ou the Boston Globe article listed below, and pay closer attention to the next Ricola TV commercial you see!

From the Groves Music Online article on Alphorn:

"Alphorn [Alpenhorn] (Ger.; Fr. cor des alpes).

Wooden trumpet of pastoral communities in the Alps. The name is also conveniently used to cover similar instruments of Scandinavia, Russia, the western Slav countries, Hungary, Romania and, up to the 19th century, some of the highlands of Germany. Szadrowsky's vague reports of alphorns in the Pyrenees and the Scottish highlands are unconfirmed. An alphorn is made of a young fir, lime, poplar etc.; a mountainside tree curving upwards from the roots is often chosen, giving an upturned bell. The wood is longitudinally halved by axe or saw and each half is hollowed. The two pieces are reunited under strips of bark or binding of roots or gut. The mouthpiece may be either cut in the wood or made separately. In several areas the folded shape of a trumpet is sometimes imitated. The commonest length of the alphorn is about 185 cm, in which case its range extends to the 5th or 6th harmonic (as quoted by Beethoven at the end of the Pastoral Symphony). Many alphorns are 120 cm in length or less; however, instruments 335 cm long have been known in Switzerland since the 16th century, and specimens up to 520 cm occur in Slovakia. Today the standard length ranges from 340 cm to 360 cm for alphorns tuned in F or G. Tunes may then ascend to the 12th harmonic or even higher.

Alphorns were known best as herdsmen's calling instruments, serving also in some areas to summon to church and formerly to war. They may also be numinous: among the Mari of Russia the long wooden trumpet is made for the spring festival and afterwards sacrificially burnt or hidden in a sacred place. Overall likeness in making and using alphorns, and their distribution, suggest that they possibly may have originated among post-Celtic peoples of the Migration Era. There is no firm evidence of prior existence; ‘cornu alpinus’ in Tacitus is less than proof of a wooden trumpet, of which the earliest specimen, from the 9th-century Oseberg ship (Oslo, Vikingskiphuset), supports iconographic suggestions that wooden trumpets of moderate size were used as summoning and military instruments in early medieval northern Europe in addition to their pastoral functions."

Some Alphorn Ensemble Links:

Boston Globe Article

Rocky Mountan Alphorns

St. Moritz Alphorn Ensemble

International Alphorn Society

New Jersey Workshop for the Art

Swiss Alpine Music

Listening Session - January 30, 2008

Listening Session - January 30, 2008


On Wednesday, I presented a collection of recordings of brass bands from outside the typical western, or Anglo-American tradition. They were:




ENSEMBLE: Fanfare Ciocarlia
RECORDING: Radio Pascani
TRACKS: 2 and 3 - "Rusasca de la Buzdug" and "Sirba de la Zece Prajini"
WEBSITE: http://www.asphalt-tango.de/fanfare/artist.html

ENSEMBLE: Kocani Orkestar; A Gypsy Brass Band
RECORDING: Long Distance
TRACKS: 1 "Solo Tapan"
WEBSITE: http://www.crammed.be/kocani-orkestar/index.htm

ENSEMBLE: Jaipur Kawa Brass Band
RECORDING: Fanfare Du Rajasthan
TRACKS: 9 adn 13 - "Paayaliyaa" and "Chameli"
WEBSITE: http://www.musafirmusic.com/kawabrassband/

ENSEMBLE: The Bollywood Brass Band
RECORDING: Rahmania; The Music of A. R. Rahman
TRACKS: 1 - "Mere Yaara Dildara"
WEBSITE: http://www.bollywoodbrassband.co.uk/

ENSEMBLE: Zlatne Uste Balkan Brass Band
RECORDING: No Strings Attached
TRACKS: 1 and 2 - "Simplon Cocek" and "Rumelaj"
WEBSITE: http://www.zlatneuste.org/

ENSEMBLE: Fanfare Ciocarlia
RECORDING: Baro Biao; World Wide Wedding
TRACKS: 10 and 14 - "Hora lui Pusac" and "Balaseanca de 8 ore"
WEBSITE: http://www.asphalt-tango.de/fanfare/artist.html

You can also find some suggested recording on this Amazon list link: "Prophetic Gypsy Brass"

I hope you all enjoyed listening to this music as much as I did and I look forward to hearing your presentations.