the University of Northern Iowa Faculty Brass Quintet
Until the formation and concertizing of Brass Quintets in the 1950s, most brass performers could only be heard as part of an Orchestra / Band or Jazz ensemble. All this changed when Mr. Robert Negal decided to form a quartet known as the New York Brass Quintet. It was through his, and his colleagues efforts, that brass musicians gain their rightful position in the Chamber Music world.
In the following series of posts, I will share with my readers a short history of these dedicated musicians as they blazed their way to the concert stage.
Brass Quintets can be found in many forms and instrument combinations but the most common instrumentation is the trumpets (2), horn, trombone and tuba. With this combination of brass instruments the rich and varied timbre gives the players a wide spectrum of color and range which adds to the fullness of the sound.
I was very fortunate to be part of an active brass quintet call the Northern Brass Quintet for many years and through this experience I was able to perform some of the best Brass Quintet music nearly every day at the University of Northern Iowa. Our Faculty Brass Quintet was originally formed by my good friend Keith Johnson and along with John Hanson, Dr. Dave Kennedy and various other musicians through several decades we logged in thousands of miles while on the road recruiting the most talented brass players from our state. When thinking back to those days, I realized that the two best recruiting ensembles at our university were the Jazz Bands directed by Mr. Jim Coffin and myself, and our Brass Quintet.
One very important feature of a smaller chamber ensemble is the fact that each performer is responsible for his/her part which contrasts to that of a member of a school band. From our numerous concerts (50 concerts in one year) we became a very tight ensemble and enjoyed and respected each others ability on our chosen instrument. The ability to play ones part accurately and at the same time listen and fit with the other parts requires time and effort and as you listen to each of the quintets I will be showcasing, keep that in mind. A brass quintet is similar to a family for every member has his/her own responsibility to add to the group as well as fit in with the other musicians.
In our next post, I will be sharing some information on one of the earliest ensembles; the New York Brass Quintet.
