OVERALL NOISE RATING: 1 (very warm and attentive audience, including the single mobile phone ring during the last piece)

The Noise Rating Index is a partially-objective measurement of pager and handphone blasts, 9pm and 10pm watch beeps, coughing-during-the-pianissimo-bits, intra-audience conversation and other mind-bogglingly inept noises emitted in the concert hall during actual performance of music. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 5, in increasing annoyance.

The Empire Brass is an internationally-renowned brass quintet, consisting of two trumpets, one French horn, one trombone, and one bass tuba (or simply tuba). Their repertoire ranges from transcription of pre-1500 Medieval dances to pieces by "ultra-modern" contemporary living composers, including works written specifically for brass quintet by their own members. And the arranger for most of tonight's pieces is Rolf Smedvig himself, which might explain the very prominent parts for first trumpet in most of the works. Not that this reviewer is complaining, though, for Smedvig is an extremely fine trumpeter who plays with flair and heartfelt enthusiasm.

The first half of the concert featured mainstream classical pieces arranged for brass quintet, opening with the rustic Rondeau and Dance by Susato from the 16th century, followed by one of Albinoni's violin concerti transcribed for trumpet and brass quintet (with Smedvig on solo trumpet). Though these pieces were originally written for small string-and-wind ensembles, under the brilliant Smedvig the brass quintet did sound suitably Baroque with a feel for the smaller but livelier sound of that period. Dvorak's Slavonic Dance No.1 similarly did not lose any of its brilliance or bounce with this scaled-down ensemble.

Adrian Tan gives his review Smedvig and Amis both in their introductions to the music mentioned that the group had taken it upon themselves to arrange other people's music for the brass quintet. From the soft lines of Debussy, the pianistic demands from Ritual Fire Dance or a Mozart sonata, to the lyricism of an Albinoni violin concerto - these brass players have raised the level of performance so high, that one cannot imagine what is not possible for them. Their virtuosity almost allows us to take the technical aspects of performance for granted. Having said that, one of the other elements that struck me as less desirable was the style of their arrangements. The solo first trumpet, Smedvig, is more often than not in the limelight with almost everyone else playing a simple 'chord and rhythm' accompanying role. Better arrangements saw a better distribution of lines and that was most welcomed for clearly, each of these musicians had so much to contribute. The audience took to Eric Amis' "Rondo Ala Turca" and gave his amazing performance of running notes on the tuba a most rousing ovation. Of the five, Smedvig is clearly the most seasoned and charismatic performer, exuding great stage presence while boasting a virtuoso technique and artistry that few brass performers I've heard can match. The Albinoni Concerto is testament to these qualities and this was a performance I'd like to hear again. One of the troubling things was also the acoustics of VCH. The trumpets and trombone faced no difficulty in this, but clearly the venue did not work as well for the French horn and the tuba. The stage was extended possily to bridge the performer-audience gap to allow for greater intimacy but perhaps also somewhat sidestep these difficulties. The attendance for these concerts were most disappointing. Top acts like the Empire Brass deserve a much better audience. I wish there could have been more active publicity and that students from school bands could have been there to witness this superb ensemble. I'm sure the experience would be an inspiration and redefine what some of them thought was possible on their instruments. I hope the poor turn out would not discourage the Singapore Symphonia Company to bring such ensembles to Singapore, for there definitely is an audience for brass ensembles.

The most atmospheric pieces of the first half, however, must have the Impressionistic French pieces. Fond of using a Sarabande-like lilt as in his Gymnopedies, Satie's Genossiene opened up a portal into the ancient French courts, with fluttering satin and stately allure, all amply re-created by the ensemble.

Los Angeles-based Rafael Mandez was Smedvig's teacher, and his Romanza was slow and tango-like, interpreted intimately by his able pupil. In contrast, Spanish composer de Falla's Ritual Fire Dance was all fiery aggression and stoic rhythmicity that kept the audience breathlessly on the edge of their seats. Though Kenneth Amis explained profusely how purists may balk when a piece originally written for piano is transcribed for another instrument, I believe the audience had no qualms with Amis' transcription for bass tuba of Mozart's "Rondo Alla Turca" (originally for piano). If you thought that Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee transcribed for tuba was incredible enough, wait until you hear this: the common notion that the tuba is cumbersome and stupid (!sacrilege!) is quickly revoked by Amis' versatile and virtuosic, plus cheeky, performance on his instrument.

The second half was no less impressive, featuring music of a different calibre, mostly lighter music from modern American composers. Mussorgsky's "Il Vecchio Castello" was convincingly portrayed by Smedvig on solo trumpet complemented by Reese on muted piccolo trumpet, creating the atmosphere of a musty decaying castle in whose air hung heavy the nostalgia of a glorious past.

Amis' invigorating Allegro con brio, from his Quintet No.1 was written before he joined the actual ranks of the Empire Brass, and is a well-thought-out ensemble arrangment for five brass instruments, each with an indispensible part. Naturally the Empire Brass was in its element here, as the team was with the excerpts from pieces by the three most eminent composers in 20th century American classical music, Copland, Gershwin, and Bernstein. Though the arrangements favoured mostly the first trumpet with a few melodies in the horn and trombone to diffuse the dominant instrument, the pieces were played with an innate understanding and sympathy for the composers' intentions and different styles.

Though, as Smedvig pointed out, the members of the Empire Brass may be frustrated closet string/woodwind/piano players, they are really excellent brass players in their own right. When he was just 19, Smedvig was chosen by Seiji Ozawa to be the youngest member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, already taking the Assistant Principal's Chair. As the original founder of the Empire Brass, he commands immense stage presence and is easily the most charismatic and communicative of the five.

Equally in his element playing Albinoni and Ellington, Smedvig has fluent technique and a deep brilliant tone as befits a first trumpeter, giving the pieces an extra edge and fullness; however this bordered on dominance in some places were he not balanced by Marc Reese. The latter, on second trumpet, has incredible range of tone, from being full but inconspicuous for supporting the upper brass, to being equally brassy and penetrating when he takes over some solo phrases from Smedvig, and in some solos of his own as well.

Left: The Empire Brass. Photograph from
Empire Brass Website.

Gregory Miller as a horn player is extremely versatile. Though the arrangement for most of the pieces requires him to just chug along in the typical symphonic horn role of support and filling-in, when his turn comes to play solo he does so with no holds barred; it may also have helped that this reviewer sat on the left of the concert hall where the direction of the horn was faced, for the acoustics of the hall were notoriously unpredictable when it comes to showcasing individual players.

Marc Hetzler's enthusiasm, when he plays, is very evident on his face and movements of his gangly frame. He featured as a lone player in Berio's pieces for one trombone, Sequenza No.5. It was a piece inspired by the comic yet profound effect of a stage entertainer who, after trying to play a violin onstage in vain, throws down the instrument in a frustated "Why?". In the same vein, Berio's piece features the trombonist trying to make sense of the 'random' sounds he makes by blowing and inhaling through the instrument, with the help of a mute.

In this performance, Hetzler displays his ability to be a comic and entertainer in conveying deep-seated emotions across the confines of the stage. Kenneth Amis, besides displaying his skills on the tuba by playing the entire musical range and other virtuosic passages with unbelievable ease, has also shown himself to be a formidable composer and arranger, with a Masters in composition.

What sets the Empire Brass apart, however, was their interaction with the audience and candid humour. They took the trouble to provide introductions to each piece they played and actually joke with the audience: "Would it be illegal if we spit on the floor through our brass instruments?" in response to emptying their saliva (accumulated inside the coils of their instruments) on the floor, a common practice with brass players.

They also managed to rouse the audience, so much so that spontaneous shouts of "encore!" resonated through the enthusiastic, albeit small, audience, when they returned to the stage for their curtain call after the last piece. They happily obliged with two pieces, one of them being the rowdy Jungle Night in Harlem by Duke Ellington depicting a major bar-room brawl. The irreverant character of this irrepressibly mischevious ensemble, however, came across most convincingly in their last encore, which, after a whole hullaballoo of preparation and getting-ready, ended in a pang of silence followed by a jovial "Goodnight!" before the group retired for the night. A most enjoyable evening, I might add.

Soo Kian Hing reiterates that he plays the tuba. And Adrian plays the baton.

Click to Return to the Concert Index!... or Visit the Inkvault archives!

637: 28.1.2000, up.1.2.2000 ©SOO Kian Hing, Adrian Tan

Explore the Flying Inkpot