Brahms, Bruckner, Mendelssohn, Schumann: Music for Brass Septet

★★★★★ ‘Uplifting debut from a magnificent seven’
– Fiona Maddocks, The Observer

What if four celebrated nineteenth-century composers – Mendelssohn, Schumann, Bruckner and Brahms – had written original works for brass septet? 

This disc explores that fascinating counter-factual twist, re-imagining choral and organ works by those composers. The arrangements call on the full dynamic and tonal range of the instruments – often extended with a multitude of mutes – to imitate the expressivity of the choir, the power of the organ, and the versatile sonorities of its different registrations and manuals. In dazzling and varied combinations the arrangers and performers together persuade us that this could indeed be original brass chamber music.

Full liner notes | Buy now | Sheet music

Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847)
Organ Sonata in C minor, Op. 65, No. 2 (arr. Simon Cox)

Robert Schumann (1810–1856)
Vier doppelchörige Gesänge, Op. 141 (arr. Simon Cox)

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897)
Five Chorale Preludes (from Op. 122) (arr. Simon Cox)
Geistliches Lied, Op. 30 (arr. Matthew Knight)

Anton Bruckner (1824–1896)
Two Aequali
Four Motets (arr. Various)