Published in the International Trumpet Guild HERE.

THESE DUOS ARE GIG-SAVERS! Playable by a combination of almost any ONE treble clef ‘C’ OR Bb instruments and almost any one ONE bass clef instruments, THESE DUETS ARE ALWAYS IN MY CASE IN THE EVENT SOMEONE IS RUNNING LATE OR NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE GIG!

These work for any one of these:

Trumpet, Violin, Oboe, Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Flute,

with any one of the following:

Bass-Trombone, ‘Cello, Euphonium, Bassoon, String Bass, Tuba, Euphonium, etc.

Published by Cherry Classics.

Enjoy!

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2014

On 27 May 2015 at 11:15 am the brass duo format will be explored at the 2015 International Trumpet Guild Conference at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Anchored by trumpeters Peter Wood, Marc Reese, bass trombonist David Brubeck and a list of all-star trumpet players, the duos of the Brubeck-Neal Duo will be presented in this lecture recital.

Soon to be published by Gordon Cherry as Cherry Classics, this collection of ten concert duos have been arranged performed and refined over the last several seasons by Brian Neal and David Brubeck. Listed below, courtesy of the International Trombone Association, is a reprint of the Brubeck-Neal Duo arrangement of Flow My Tears by composer John Dowland, from the April 2014 ITA Journal. This and Badinerie, published in the Journal of the ITG, are but just two of more than a dozen duos spanning a variety of genres to be featured at the ITG lecture recital on the emerging genre of duo brass.

Here is a brief clip of the Brubeck-Neal Duo in concert as part of the Music in Miami Concert series performing their arrangement of Air on a G String by J. S. Bach.

c. 2014 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved davidbrubeck.com

This article is a reprint from the April 2014 Journal of the International Trombone Association. Thanks to the Journal and editor Diane Drexler.

We are pleased to present two more recordings from our initial sight-reading session of selection from Ten Italian Renaissance Duets published by Cherry Classics and recorded by Duo Brass featuring Morgen Low on trumpet and David Brubeck on bass trombone. These are important reference recordings for what appears to be the origins of a the most significant body of mixed-brass duo literature.

THE MYSTERY OF THE TOP PART The range for the top voice is curiously limited to an octave or less-(‘E’ to ‘E’; from the bottom line to the top space of the treble clef in ‘C’!) Of the most common soprano instruments recorded in use at the Orthodox Christian Basilica of St. Mark’s in Venice or ‘La Serenissima’. the treble viol would have been nearly impossible due to it’s insufficient upper range. The violin would have been most unlikely to have been written with a tessitura so restricted as we find of less than an octave; much less in that particular register! Similarly, with nearly a two-octave range, the soprano recorder would not be a likely candidate for melodies most often using less than half it’s range-(whether in it’s cylindrical or later conical iteration). The Renaissance soprano trombone was a fiction, and only assumed to exist and having been drawn from the imagination based on that assumption.

THE MYSTERY OF THE BOTTOM PART While the tenor cornett (or cornetto), was cited as something used for alto and tenor function, it’s range typically extends only to the ‘C’ an octave below middle ‘C’. That would leave a deficiency in range of an entire 5th for the bottom duo part, which frequently reflects a more bass-type function. The bottom part is commonly written as low as the ‘F’ just below the bass clef staff. In 6th position, this would be comfortably accessible by a tenor trombone and trombonist of the day. here are no indications of notes lower than this ‘F’, so there is no reason to believe the instrument was bass trombone, in addition to the fact that the parts venture up to ‘G’ and perhaps even ‘A’ above middle ‘C’, which are almost completely unlikely on the Renaissance bass trombone or bass viol, while still within the reach of the Renaissance tenor trombone.

There does not seem to be a likelyhood that cello was employed, and had it been, one could have easily encountered pitches up to a fourth lower than present. The range present in these duos does find another mirror in the range of the tenor Viol, but the tone of a tenor viol would likely be insufficient to provide equal balance to even a violin, much less a cornetto. Tenor Trombone seems to be the only likely instrument available with the correct range and musical presence for the bottom of the duo parts.

In Vivaldi’s Venice, author Patrick Barbier cites a registry from St. Mark’s in 1708 AD that provides a first-hand account of the instrumentation available at that time: “Indicates the presence of 23 musicians engaged for life and divided as follows: 10 violins (including the father of Antonio Vivaldi), three small violas, one viola de braccia (a sort of alto), one violine (close to a double bass), three theorbos, one cornett, one oboe, two trumpets and one trombone.”

A hundred years earlier, the famous 1597 AD “Sonata piano e forte” by Giovanni Gabrieli, specified eight musicians: 6 trombones, 1 cornett/cornetto, and 1 viol. The piece was historic for its early written use of dynamics and specific instrumentation. It features two choirs in antiphony. One comprised of cornetto and 3 trombones, the other was comprised of one viol and three trombones.

A CHRISTIAN OUTPOST La Serenissima (or Venice), was founded by Christians who were shown the sparkling lights on its lagoon after intense prayer and near-starvation. Venice began its life as a city dedicated to God by its Christian founders.

The text of Psalm 117 is implied by these first words of one duo in Latin:

“Praise the Lord, all nations!

Extol him, all peoples!

2  For great is his steadfast love toward us,

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord!”

from esv.org

FEATURED DUO BRASS RECORDING: 6. Omnes gentes

The accounts of the great musicality of Venice at the time included the commonplace singing of fishermen as they returned home to their wives who awaited them on the docks, and the tradition of the gondoliers singing together to train the younger members of their trade. Of great importance was the impressive series of musical orphanages set up throughout the city. The intense musicality of Venice at the time led to one visiting nobleman to remark in a report to his home and that he could assemble an orchestra from the beggars in La Serenissima (Venice), better than almost any one found in European courts.

The loving and at times erotifc metaphors found in the Bible in the Song of Solomon describe his wedding to his black African wife. God’s provision of the joy of love and sex in the context of marriage may seem incongruous next to other Biblical texts to some. In parallel fashion, the sacred plaza of St. Mark’s in the 1600’s embraced the near-constant joys of the carnivals of Venice. These carnivals ran almost constantly throughout the year and celebrated life and music. Interestingly, the carnivals of Venice became a deterrent to invaders, to whom they gave the impression that the city was too populous to invade-unaware that many of the throngs were fellow tourists.

SONG OF SOLOMON

2 I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys.

² As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

³ As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

⁴ He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.

⁵ Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.

¹² A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed.

¹⁵ A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and streams from Lebanon.

from www.biblegateway.com

FEATURED DUO BRASS RECORDING: 3. Ego flos campi

Venice was really an ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN satellite of Constantinople, and not Catholic Rome. Equally, it might be argued by some, that Venice is as much a continuation of the ANCIENT World established by Rome and carried by CONSTANTINOPLE into what Europeans considered “The Renaissance”.

Indeed, some have argued that the fall of Constantinople in 1453 AD was THE reason for the Western European Renaissance, as the Greek Scholars fled the Constantinople, which had been known for more than a MILLENIUM as the eye of the world, to new patrons and protectors in Europe.

CHECK OUT THE FIRST DUOS FROM THIS COLLECTION RECORDED HERE:

Did We Miss Something? No. 3. Renaissance Duets THESE REWRITE EARLY BRASS DUO HISTORY

c. 2024 David William Brubeck All rights Reserved

image courtesy of www.mattathimeinthe world.com

 COPYRIGHT NOTICE/DISCLAIMER

 FAIR USE:

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1976,
 ALLOWANCE IS MADE FOR “FAIR USE” FOR PURPOSES SUCH AS CRITICISM, COMMENT, NEWS REPORTING, TEACHING, SCHOLARSHIP AND RESEARCH.
FAIR USE IS PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT STATUTE THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE INFRINGING.  NON-PROFIT, EDUCATIONAL OR PERSONAL USE TIPS THE BALANCE IN FAIVOR OF FAIR USE

PS

Is it EVEN POSSIBLE that trombones could REALLY be the founding instrument of the symphony orchestra? While it is true that trombones comprised nearly 70% of what may arguably be the first symphonic composition-the “Sonata piano e forte”, perhaps a bit more investigation is warranted.

Please consider spending fifteen minutes to hear how full the sound of just three trombones can be in the YouTube video of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Trombone trio below. They are quite nearly the equivalent of three ENTIRE string sections: viola, ‘cello and bass.

All that is needed is a soprano instrument like the cornet or trumpet, violin or viol…..or two! (Okay, or a soprano recorder!)

Dear friends and music lovers,

Please note the new masthead for the site!

This is cropping from a watercolor painting by Barbie Brubeck. Please be on the lookout for more of her work in the days to come.

My Sabbatical is nearly over.

Please accept apologies for any inconvenience that the lack of regular updates to the website may have caused you. I hope that you enjoy this new masthead, new recordings from Venice and another chance at this great transcription of the legendary George Roberts!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Who is the greatest left-handed guitarist? Jimi Hendrix? Paul McCartney, Albert King, Omar Rodriguez-
Lopez, or Dick Dale? Someone else? Here is somehting beautiful for your left hand!

Photos courtesy of Guitar world and Iconguitar.com

I recently found recordings of many of the Chili dogs made by an enthusiastic amateur guitarist on acoustic/cowboy guitar. I hope that you enjoy it!

I LOVE FRANK CRISAFULLI.

You Love Frank Crisafulli?

We All Love Frank Crisafulli!

He was brilliant. Kind. Modest. Hilarious. Everybody’s grandpa. Of course, he made all those amazing recordings/played all those fantastic concerts/won all those Grammys playing with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for more than 50 years! Of course, he was the founding member and only trombonist of the CSO Brass Quintet with Adolph ‘Bud’ Herseth, Vincent Cichowicz, Richard Oldberg, Arnold Jacobs (and a few others), that many consider to have been the ,most influential brass quintet ever.

Lesson With Frank Crisafulli-Legato Studies

IS THIS THE AMONG THE ONLY RECORDED

?

Audio recordings of Lesson with Frank Crisafulli Copyright 2024 David William Brubeck. All rights reserved.

“Alright, a couple of little things.”

“First of all, all these little crescendo-diminuendos. I want you to be a little more careful about how you interpret that.”

“For instance, toward the end here on this Forte, you begin to come down-(singing in measure 28 ).”

“It should be to (singing), to the Bb there, and then you make your diminuendo there.”

“And the same here with all these, (referring to measure five, at the top), it’s not (singing to crescendo at the second note), but (singing to crescendo at the third note). It’s a very different thing!”

“It’s very nice that you observe these markings. They generally mean what they say, although not always-sometimes they are carelessly done. But it does sound better to go (to the third note), and you’ll notice that he has that dash on that (third note), that means he wants it more important.”

“And also, when you start out, know what you are going to do! After all, there are three bars and a half of rest-so something has been going on. So when you start, don’t start with (sings just a dubious start of the initial pitch), but start (sings a full-voiced, passionate iteration of the first notes with dynamics, tempo and phrasing). The tempo has already been established, but no matter, even if you start at the beginning-never play unless you have in your mind exactly what you are going to do with the phrase. And then carry it out, no matter what!”

PURCHASE LEGATO STUDIES HERE.

“You know, we have an advantage when we are in an orchestra, especially if we have a good conductor, because he never just does this to you (a generic cue). He knows what it’s going to be, and then you know exactly (what it’s going to be) and the whole group can do the same thing.”

“But no, when we are alone, we start playing and THEN we decide what we’re going to do.

It should all be in there before you ever start playing, so that (inhales a relaxed breath and enjoys the exhalation.”

“Let’s try it again. Play it right from the beginning” Sings along. “That’s nice!” Singing more”. A little more than the first time.” Singing more. “A little louder.” Sings.

“This is all in mezzo-Forte. So, stay there! Still mezzo-Forte!” Sings. “Softer, and breath in here.” Sings. “Yes!”

After all, there’s no point in sitting there and trying to hold it when you don’t have any breath. And with accompaniment, which I am sure there would be on this, there would be any number of places where you can easily phrase a breath into it. But it is much more sensible to breath and enjoy playing to the end that (simulates air running out), because you don’t learn anything from that.”

“Now that’s nice! It takes just a little more care, but it should become natural to you to phrase this way, you know? Otherwise, they are nothing but (sings fragmented notes). You know, a little something indicated and nothing happening.”

“That was nice. I like that.”

“I was also able to give you movement so you don’t dawdle!”

“You know, I dislike very much fooling around too much with tempos/rhythms unless it’s asked for, a rubato here or a little bit there, perhaps.”

“But otherwise, I think it’s nicer to have a pulse always that’s there and then the rest is articulation and dynamics. Just like that, you know? And that’s musical. But to let the tempos die, and bring them back and then usually they die and keep dying. Anyhow, then it becomes harder work to play through it, too. It seems to never end, ‘cause we are clawing our way through it rather than moving easily through it.”

Audio recordings of Lesson with Frank Crisafulli Copyright 2024 David William Brubeck. All rights reserved.

“That’s very nice playing. It’s not an easy etude, you know. All right, good playing.”

Student Brubeck, “The first time, maybe a little the second, the first notes, I had trouble.

Crisafulli, “Yeah! Because you’re not ready to play! “You play up to the first note, and don’t expect it to sound. You should play, in your mind, the whole phrase before you start.”

(Sings the first portion of the phrase richly), “Not just, bah” (sings half the first note, tepidly)

And then what?”

“No, no.”

“Again, in your practicing, don’t just look for that first note. Look for the phrase and carry it off even if you don’t feel absolutely at ease with the first note, because if you get in the habit of always stopping unless its perfect, you only create a bigger hurdle to get over each time. Pretty soon, that first note becomes an obstacle rather than the beginning of a nice phrase to carry through.”

“Ok?”

“Do a little bit like that. I know that you want to be perfect, but shucks, sometimes I think we’re better off if we accept something a little less and enjoy it very much-if we minimize some of these things that become difficult for us. And for no reason-WE make them that way.”

“Alright, very good.”

“Studies in Legato” is the second book I would recommend to all young trombonists!

It is a masterfully curated collection of wonderfully musical melodies from Italian vocal composers Concone and Marchesi in addition to German violinist and composer Heinrich Panofka. The editor, Reginald H. Fink, was the assistant to the great genius and Professor of Trombone at The Eastman School of Music, Emory Remington, and a significant musician and teacher in his own right.

Nestled in the book, one finds four excellent articulation studies on repeated notes, without significant slide movement. The detailed, concise and inspired discussion of articulation here only gives pause for a moment when one hopes that the option “Thah” will not be overdone, while marveling at the beautiful pedagogy reflected in the inclusion of “Dah”, “Lah” and “Rah”. Just as Remington emphasized singing music and musicianship before trombone technique, these articulations foster excellent oral cavity formation and tonguing with lightness. The distinct tonguing recommendations for different registers probably reflect the use a a pivot embouchure, which are not as commonly used in the present day.

Next, are several articulation exercises which combine slide motion, from one to five positions away. The articulation marking is exquisite, combining both legato and tenuto markings, typical again of the singing, sustained and yet well-defined Eastman style. Finally, there are two exceptional breathing exercises by Emory Remington himself, one of which I have used on a daily basis for many years. The etudes themselves are wonderfully varied in almost every way imaginable given the Romantic era in which they were composed. The range is not as demanding as the Rochut transcriptions of Bordogni compositions, and a varietal palette of rhythms and key signatures are replete and well-sequenced throughout the collection.

Crisafulli. “Let’s finish it. Let’s do the rest of it, I think we reached 35. And now you have a nice (singing) fermata!”

“And,” Crisafulli breaths.

“A bit short, that last note- oh that’s better!

“Yes.” Singing and breathing. “Good! Good! Ah! Good”

“A little bit more. A little breath accents.” Singing. “A little but less, that’s what’s written.” Singing

“Then full!” Singing. “A little bit longer. Careful the last, now.”

“Nice. Yes. Good”

“Always be sure that when you look ahead and see a pianissimo coming that you leave room for it before hand, ok?”

“Even if you have gone to far, come. back a little bit. Then it’s comfortable. It’s nice”

“Yes, it’s a nice etude, but it must be filled.”

“That’s one time I would allow that (singers staccato longer), and I’m glad you did it not (sungs second note clipped), not the dot but (sings longer) and that makes even room for a breath if you want to.”

“Bravo!”

“What Concone is this? The 40 studies or something? “

Student Brubeck, “This is a book I stumbled upon. Fink. I was looking for something for my high school students.

Crisafulli, sees cover and recognizes the book, “Oh yes, right.”

Student Brubeck, “It doesn’t have the range of a ‘Rochut’.”

Crisafulli “And you know something though, they are not easy bevause they lie right where you have to travel the most for the botes in the staff with the slide. And yet, it’s an excellent opporrubity to (sings daaaah), let the air take over and not react to the slide.”

I LOVE FRANK CRISAFULLI.

FRANK CRISAFULLI OOZED MUSIC AND PASSIONATELY LOVED IT! Frank Crisafulli spoke English only tangentially in lessons, and sang throughout! He sang on no fewer than 21 occasions in this brief 12-minute excerpt. Not only was he encouraging the student to pre-hear the music in the manner of Arnold Jacobs, but he was modeling it by singing in the manner of Emory Remington.

FRANK CRISAFULLI WAS POSITIVE! His demeanor was stern a few times and passionate at others, but overwhelmingly kind. He offered no fewer than 16 positive comments and compliments to the student in just under 12 minutes.

FRANK CRISAFULLI USED REPETITION Whether emphasizing musicality, more vibrant rhythm, or to fully hear the entire phrase before projecting it confidently, he returned to his major theses. Crisafulli used the playing at hand (second-person), his own experience (first person), and the hypothetical youngsters-(third person), to illustrate his refrains with additional perspective and variation.

FRANK CRISAFULLI WAS MUSICAL ABOVE ALL ELSE! More than 18 times in the lesson he observed, anticipated, commented on, complimented or encouraged musicality. Quite often, he did so with great detail and subtlety! Dynamics, articulation, a breath for phrasing, eveness, tempo, mood and confidence. His musicality was downright infectious!

FRANK CRISAFULLI EMBODIED SONG AND WIND. And added the subtlety of never allowing the slide to interfere with the air. A gifted ‘cellist, he made numerous innovative comparisons between the bow and the breath, and was spectacular at evincing evenness throughout the registers in both sound and approach, partially owing to his experience with ‘cello.

CRISAFULLI ENJOYED PLAYING AND SOUGHT RELAXATION. As an undergraduate student of his, the one word I most remember hearing him say was ENJOY! I have often used it as a sign-off for my interviews and articles in honor of “Mr. C”. He unfailingly sought to enjoy playing, and part of this approach was an ease-of-playing and relaxation which may best be described as unhurried.

Article, c. 2024 David William Brubeck All rights reserved

Cover Image courtesy of Hickey’s music.

Written music from Studies in Legato
Arranged and edited by Reginald H. Fink
Copyright © 1967 by Carl Fischer, Inc. 
All rights assigned to Carl Fischer, LLC.
All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Available for purchase at your favorite dealer or https://www.carlfischer.com/o4767-studies+in+legato.html.

Audio, c. 2024, David William Brubeck, All Rights reserved.

(Thanks to “Mr. C” for allowing me to record this! The acknowledgement of his genius-level and inspired musicianship and pedagogy is long overdue!)

Soli Deo Gloria

Imagine being handed a folder with fifty pages of duo music for trumpet and trombone; like an incomplete map to a treasure! The only date? 1595. The only instrumentation? Trumpet in treble clef ‘C’ and trombone in bass clef.

The probable location is Venice, and possibly Basilica San Marco in La Serenissima -(St. Mark’s, Venice), but truly yet to be fully determined.

What could have been the purpose of this music? Were they training duets to prepare the players for the more typical music of the Gabrielis and Schutz? Could St. Mark’s, or another Basilica possibly have used just two brass to accompany religious services? This seems likely in the Orthodox Christian Basilica of St. Mark’s in Venice, but less likely in most of the rest of Italy which was dominated by Rome instead of Venice’s patron-Constantinople.

The keys seem to focus around ‘C’ Major or ‘F’ Major, but the presence of accidentals and available notes in the upper part would certainly seem to indicate the use of cornetto-which is more typical for St. Mark’s and Venice.

The presence of rests throughout at first seemed to suggest a missing part. Could it have been a vocal part or perhaps organ? One can almost hear the missing parts reverberate n the typical Venetian-Brass style.

The range of the trombone would certainly have to be restricted, due to elemental technique and trombone workmanship, at least one would think. No jumping around like, well, the arrangements by Brubeck-Neal or Stereograms. Right?

FEATURED DUO BRASS RECORDING: Canzona Francesca a’ 4 del Segundo Tuono

With a bit of an air of the musical equivalent of an expedition by Howard Carter or at least Indiana Jones, we set out to sight-read and record (in one or two takes each), these magnificent duos! Duo Brass, featuring Morgen Low and David Brubeck, met for a two-hour stint. Recordings were made direct to iPhone. (Recommended listening on over-the ear headphones!)

We probably made it through about 85% of the impressive stack of mixed brass duo music from the Renaissance. One composition was complicated, another missing a page, yet another a bit unwieldy with multiple pages-an entire MASS for brass duo for goodness sake!

This would be possible at St. Mark’s, where Catholic Monteverdi and Protestant Heinrich Schutz served side-by-side as Co-Music Directors for a time. Although the Catholic Church had a seat placed right in front of the pulpit, this Basilica was traditionally led by someone from the founding 80 families of Venice-Orthodox Christians. (At least until Napoleon, when it became Catholic at his demand around 1807-1809.)

St Mark’s itself, is clearly in the Constantinople (also called Eastern Roman Empire, New Roman or Byzantine), style replete with architectural layout and mosaics. The Basilica San Marco is mentioned as a construction specifically of the Orthodox Christian Church in 1063-1094 AD in a timeline provided in the Appendix of the book Byzantium, by authors Yanagi, Takahashi, Tsuji and Nagatsuka in their Chronology of the Byzantine World. they also note that, “In the 11th century Byzantine culture was enthusiastically adopted both in Venice and other parts of Italy.”

While a Catholic Antonio Vivaldi got his start at St. Mark’s alongside his father-a violinist, other accounts of the time note a Jesuit priest was thrown out of the church for advocating more control from Rome during his guest sermon! (Venice may have the distinction of being the only city to have been excommunicated three times!). Yanagi et al. in Byzantium notes, “The Church of the Eastern Roman Empire, even before its separation from the Roman Church, was regarded by the Roman Pope as an apostatic institution, even a dangerous rival.” The accompanying Chronology found in the Appendix of the book Byzantium notes 1054 AD as the final schism between Eastern and Western churches.

This places the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN Basilica at the CENTER of instrumental ensemble music history.

The accomplishments were numerous:

The first notated use of specified dynamics

The first notated use of specific instrumentation or orchestration-THIS ARGUES THAT THE ORCHESTRA WAS INVENTED AT St. Mark’s Basilica-certainly the symphony orchestra. (The orchestra has been called by some the greatest invention of mankind.)

The first recorded use of Antiphony (or “Surround-Sound”).

Among the first recorded use of homophonic and homo-rhythmic instrumental music.

Among the first regular use of mixed meters in instrumental music and their mastery.

MORE VENICE-THE CENTER INSTRUMENTAL OF MUSIC & MORE!

Monteverdi, Albinoni, Marcello… Many of the most notable opera composers were trained in or came from Venice, not Florence. The original treatise “Opera” was published in Venice.

Venice was the home of Catholic priest Antonio Vivaldi for all of his life except the final year spent in Vienna. He composed more than 400 concertos, was a violin virtuoso and a champion for the orchestra-training generations of girls and young women to play professionally through the very important orphanage system of Venice. (Not to even mention Dragonetti!)

FEATURED DUO BRASS RECORDING: Canzona francese a 8 dette la Carissima (Original 8-voice Setting by Adriano Banchieri)

At first, our tempos might have been a bit slow. We determined that the pieces were clearly for performance and not study. One could easily imagine these for a shorter service in a city like Venice- especially in a Basilica like St. Marks’s which was constantly beset by tourists attracted to Venice for its unique beauty, the incredible music and the nearly constant carnivals.

There were accents and slurs present in the duos, and they included a wide variety of interesting rhythms and irregular shaped phrases that seemed to meander from time to time. The use of mixed meters was not uncommon, and the prevalent use of syncopation was noted.

Upon performance, the rests were a welcome relief and seemed quite musical! Nothing was deemed missing. Finally, the range of the trombone part reflected that both the Renaissance technique of the players as well as the craftsmanship of the slide must have been superior.

FEATURED DUO BRASS RECORDING: 7. Panatum cor meum (Reflecting the first words of by a Psalm of David, 107-My Heart is ready O Lord)

With the recent advent of mixed brass duo books by Brubeck/Neal & Alessi/Sachs, the mixed brass duo has seen a resurgence, yet historically seemed to have been of scant significance and without any significant literature. NOT ANYMORE!

Please let us know if you think we are wrong….

Otherwise, every indication points to the conclusion that this collection, of which these are but a few, will rewrite the history of the brass duo, and provide a solid historic basis for the derivation of mixed brass duo literature.

Thank you, Dr. Campbell, for this valuable treasure, and thank you, Morgen Low, for your superb sight-reading, “chops-of-steel” and delightful attitude. One could not hope for a better colleague!

FUN FACT! The Pipe organ WITH AIR was from ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN Constantinople, NOT ROME-Roman organs used water. The pipe organ was introduced to the rest of Europe around 750 AD! (Source: The Timetables of History by Bernard Grun, based on Werner Stein’s Kulturfahrplan.)

Constantinople also invented the fork, the flame-thrower, the steam engine, and so much more. It was a 1,100-year Orthodox Christian Empire from 330 AD until 1453 AD.

c. 2024 David William Brubeck All Rights Reserved.

 COPYRIGHT NOTICE/DISCLAIMER

 FAIR USE:

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER UNDER SECTION 107 OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT 1976,
 ALLOWANCE IS MADE FOR “FAIR USE” FOR PURPOSES SUCH AS CRITICISM, COMMENT, NEWS REPORTING, TEACHING, SCHOLARSHIP AND RESEARCH.
FAIR USE IS PERMITTED BY COPYRIGHT STATUTE THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE INFRINGING.  NON-PROFIT, EDUCATIONAL OR PERSONAL USE TIPS THE BALANCE IN FAIVOR OF FAIR USE

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!