The Philharmonic Brass

About

Sixteen brass players and four percussionists, members of the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras & Friends had a burning passion to create an exciting new listening experience. Drawing on a collective wealth of experience having performed in the greatest concert halls worldwide, they have formed a brand new ensemble: The Philharmonic Brass.

Performing an eclectic mix of music from Johann Sebastian Bach to John Williams, the ensemble traces its origins back to the wind music tradition at princely and royal courts in the 18th century, which flourished under Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as well as traditional folk music and local music-making. This heritage was carried forward in the long tradition of orchestral playing in both the Philharmonic Orchestras of Berlin and Vienna – and now finding a new path in terms of instrumentation and playing technique. This results in imagery and emotions that can be shaped through close interaction with the audience, in the creative environment of a concert.

The Philharmonic Brass play brand new arrangements especially tailored to their musicians. The technical and artistic demands of the arrangements – extraordinary virtuosity, rich variety of tonal colors, and fidelity to the intention of the work – are an essential requirement for realizing an artistic vision in accord with its creator: the composer.

Working with conductors who are closely tied to both the Berlin and the Vienna Philharmonic, The Philharmonic Brass aim to create an unforgettable concert experience. In a special collaboration with Decca Classics, the ensemble will release an EP and a full album internationally in 2023.

Watch and listen

Media

The Philharmoic Brass CD Italiana!
The Philharmoic Brass CD Italiana!

Italiana!

Release date: 7 March 2025

The Philharmonic Brass and Riccardo Muti
bring Italian masterpieces to life

First release by the new Viennese record label Supreme Classics

 

The latest album of The Philharmonic Brass, an exquisite brass ensemble of musicians from the Wiener and the Berliner Philharmoniker as well as other renowned orchestras, invites you on a musical journey to the South. Under the baton of Maestro Riccardo Muti, who is recording an album with an all-brass ensemble for the first time, the outstanding instrumentalists lend a new splendor to popular pieces from Italian opera as well as the concert repertoire. This exceptional premiere provides an impressive example of Maestro Muti’s dedication to variety of repertoire and musical excellence.

Italiana!, the title of the first album to be released by the high-quality Viennese record label Supreme Classics, transports listeners on a journey through the Italian musical tradition. The musical spectrum ranges from the Baroque to Romanticism and the 20th century, and includes works by Albinoni/Giazotto (Adagio in G minor), Rossini (Overture to William Tell), Verdi (Overture to Nabucco), Puccini (Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut), Martucci (Notturno, one of Maestro Muti’s favorite pieces), and Respighi (“Via Appia” from Pini di Roma).

The ensemble, consisting of 16 leading brass players and four percussionists, provides inspired performances of masterful arrangements by Matthias Höfs and Peter J. Lawrence that are specifically tailored to the individual abilities of each musician and create a harmonious balance between timbre and expressive power. Even well-known works such as Albinoni’s Adagio shine in a new light, with unconventional touches, Brucknerian sonorities, and profound emotion. In an interview, Maestro Muti remarked that “every note is a dialogue between the instruments, every phrase a tribute to the art of interpretation.”

Making the recording in the Chiesa San Romualdo in Ravenna contributed significantly to its authentic atmosphere. From delicate pianissimo to triumphant fortissimo, The Philharmonic Brass displays an impressive range of dynamics. Maestro Muti, a master of precision, points out how fascinating it is to experience brass instruments in their purest form: “These instruments sing and resonate with an intensity that gets under your skin. Every nuance is important, and that is what makes this recording so special.”

With Italiana!, The Philharmonic Brass is pursuing both artistic as well as educational goals. The ensemble and Maestro Muti have decided to waive their rights to the album and instead have the proceeds go to promote young musicians. According to Maestro Muti, “it is our responsibility to inspire the next generation and communicate the importance of music and its interpretation.”

The collaboration between The Philharmonic Brass and Riccardo Muti will continue with a concert tour that will introduce the album and its unique arrangements to an international audience. Georg Solti once said that “a recording is a document that preserves a musician’s artistry” – and Italiana! is undoubtedly such a document, capturing the Italian musical tradition for posterity.

Concerts

Schedule

April
26

Friday, 26th April 2024

M° Jonathan Bloxham

Reservation:
Telefon: +43 2619 51047
E-Mail: raiding@lisztzentrum.at

April
27

Saturday, 27th April 2024

M° Jonathan Bloxham

May
16

Thursday, 16th-Sunday, 19th. May. 2024

M° Riccardo Muti

May
20

Monday, 20th May 2024

M° Jonathan Bloxham

July
7

Sunday, 7th July 2024

M° Philippe Auguin

July
8

Monday, 8th July 2024

M° Philippe Auguin

July
9

Tuesday, 9th July 2024

M° Philippe Auguin

July
10

Wednesday, 10th July 2024

M° Philippe Auguin

March
25

Tuesday, 25th March 2025

M° Tugan Sokhiev

Ticket sales start on January 9th, 2025.

The Philharmonic Brass

Contact

General Enquiries (World):

Christine Honolke
+43 676 9284884
office@thephilharmonicbrass.com

Supporter

Karajan

Partners

Jeunesse Musik Erleben
Musik der Jugend
Kilmulis design

Record Label

Supreme Classics