Best of Brass

Witold Lutosławski
Mini Overture

Leonard Bernstein
Suite from West Side Story

Franz Liszt
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

Enrique Crespo
Three Spirituals

Johann Sebastian Bach
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068: Air

Showcasing CSO brass, this program revels in musical genre-bending and boundary-breaking from around the world, featuring five compositional voices and encompassing many more artistic languages and traditions.

In his Mini Overture, Polish composer Witold Lutosławski epitomises the conversational nature of chamber music. Moments of composure stand in sharp contrast to rambunctious, jostling exchanges. Franz Liszt matches that energy in the action-packed and virtuosic Hungarian Rhapsody, steeped in the folk traditions of the composer’s heritage.

American composer Leonard Bernstein defies categorisation with West Side Story, a Romeo and Juliet for his time that blends classical and Broadway influences, full of timeless melodies.

Uruguayan trombonist Enrique Crespo is not one to be boxed in. Not content with the traditional repertoire for his instrument, Crespo took to composition and arranging to explore the trombone’s sonic possibilities. This program features thoughtful reimaginings of three beautiful, well-known spirituals.

We round out the program with a German composer and innovator who needs little introduction: Johann Sebastian Bach. This soaring arrangement of the Air from his Orchestral Suite in D major is shaped by sparkling lines and magnificent suspensions. Featuring the CSO Chamber Ensemble.