Posted March 24, 2017
DAYTON, OH (March 24, 2017) – On Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 3 p.m. in the Dayton Art Institute Renaissance Auditorium, Conductor Patrick Reynolds and Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Brass and Percussion musicians will present Fantastic Brass, the fourth and final concert in the 2016-2017 Chamber Series. Dayton Performing Arts Alliance’s Innovation Partner for this 2016-2017 Excite Season is the DP&L Foundation: Powering Innovation in the Performing Arts.
The tradition of brass chamber music harkens back to Mozart’s time. The Salzburg master created many works for ensembles of this kind—then called “Harmonie” bands—for military purposes as well as celebrations for the Royal court. The influence of the music of Turkish Janissaries added percussion such as bass drum, cymbals, and triangle, lending an exotic tang and creating a wider sonic spectrum.
Later in the 19th century the brass band grew in popularity in England, playing a central role in military and ceremonial settings. English composers Holst, Grainger, and R.V. Williams added great musical variety to the genre, giving the brass ensemble a more symphonic flavor.
In America, the evolution of the modern wind ensemble was further advanced by Frederick Fennell at the Eastman School of Music. This new phase promoted the creation of many new works for the brass ensemble, moving away from transcription of works from opera and other genres.
For the fourth chamber music program, Conductor Patrick Reynolds brings talented Dayton Philharmonic brass players together in various formations that celebrate the history and glorious sound of brass. DPO musicians from the brass and percussion sections are highlighted in an engaging sampling of this great repertory.
Wonderful selections from Giovanni Gabrieli, Anthony DiLorenzo, Philip Glass, and Eckhard Kopetzki will be performed, along with works from Gustav Mahler and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The afternoon will conclude with Percy Grainger’s six-movement masterpiece A Lincolnshire Posy, with each movement adapted from folk songs Grainger encountered on a trip to England in the early 1900s.
Larry Coressel from Discover Classical WDPR 88.1 will give a pre-concert talk beginning at 2:30 p.m.
Tickets for Fantastic Brass are $22 for adults and $14 for students and children, and all tickets are General Admission Seating. Tickets are available at Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org. Senior, teacher and military discounts are available at the box office. For more information on this concert or on other upcoming performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.