Mostly Brass

The album Bläser Weihnacht (Brass Christmas) features the Meran Brass Ensemble under the direction of Konrad Plaickner. The listener will immediately be impressed by the quality of the production of this recording — with the voices from the high trumpet to the low tuba all well balanced and mixed with care. The band features four trumpets, two French horns, three trombones and tuba and each is given a prominent role in these short yet highly original seasonal arrangements.

The album is a virtual Christmas, stocking stuffed with 31 tracks of delightful holiday fare with a spirited reading of "Es hat sich halt eröffnet" ("It has opened the heavenly gate") leading off the festivities. The album contains well-known carols including "O Christmas Tree," "Angels We Have Heard on High," "Joy to the World," "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," "I Saw Three Ships," "Adeste Fideles" and "Silent Night." The arrangements are all well-crafted and offer new takes on these venerable chestnuts.

There are four that stand out and deserve special mention. "In dulci Jubilo" is played with a spirit where one can imagine the peal of bells and the sound of a carillon performing this favorite work, which was heard as far back as the 16th century. "The First Noël" is given a modern treatment that features the horns singing out the soaring and welcoming melody. "Jingle Bells" turns into a celebratory march with the tuba setting the pace and keeping time while the rest of band turns the melody into a potential free-for-all — a raucous and fun musical snowball fight if there ever was one! The German Christmas carol "Morgen kommt der Weihnachtsmann," using the same melody as "Twinkle, Twinkle...more details