Tuba Carnival

Review-capsulated

However much fun it may be at first, and however fabulously virtuosic the soloist may be (and Oystein Baadsvik is as amazing as they come), hearing an entire program consisting of stuff like Vivaldi's Winter, or Grieg's Anitra's Dance arranged for tuba and strings might very well outlive its cuteness value pretty quickly. So Baadsvik wisely mixes things up a bit, by including such inherently less-than-serious items such as Vittorio Monti's Csardas (where he somehow manages a convincing tuba approximation of schmaltzy violin vibrato) and Arban's Carnival of Venice. The main work, however, a perfectly lovely neoclassical concerto for tuba and strings by Arild Plau (b. 1920), allows the soloist to display his expressive credentials--and deserves to enter the repertoire of tuba virtuosos everywhere. Similarly impressive is Thomas Steven's entertainingly brief Variations in the Olden Style, based on a tune taken from Bach's French Suites. State of the art recorded sound caps an extremely well planned, perfectly executed recital in which humor, charm, and virtuosity combine to make the best possible case for the tuba as star of the show, at least once in a while.

-Classics Today

Read About This Recording

Too often the brass instruments are thought of only as important parts of a marching band, but the lower brass instruments are actually wonderfully expressive instruments. Hearing them as soloists accompanied by an orchestra is rare, but with this wonderful disc you get exactly that chance.

This disc is devoted to the tuba, but the immensely talented Oystein Baadsvik has put together a fantastic program. To hear Winter from Vivaldi's Four Seasons played on the tuba is an experience you don't want to miss, not because it's a party trick but because it is musically amazing. Accompanied by Musica Vitae, Baadsvik presents a fine recording that includes a variety of styles from the Baroque to a modern track composed by Baadsvik. This is a fun, yet terrifically beautiful listening experience.

-Jacob Anthony

Quotes

Fabulous virtuosic. -Classics Today

10/10. -Classics Today

Contents

10/10. -Classics Today

Oystein Baadsvik: Fnugg for Solo Tuba; Vivaldi: L'Inverno (Winter) from The Four Seasons, Op. 8; Grieg: Anitra's Dance from the incidental music to Ibsen's Peer Gynt, Op. 23; Norwegian Dance No. 1 from Four Norwegian Dances, Op. 35; Arild Plau: Concerto for Tuba and Strings; Traditional: Kesh Jig; Thomas Stevens: Variations in Olden Style (d'apres Bach); Jean-Baptiste Arban: Carnival of Venice; Vittorio Monti: Csardas.

Oystein Baadsvik, Tuba; Dorota Siuda, Violin; Musica Vitae; Bjorn Sagstad, Conductor.