Nyman Brass

• Main performer: Michael Nyman
• Booklet languages: English
• Time: 57:09
• Release Date: 2006

Review

This album should appeal to both fans of Michael Nyman and of the British brass band tradition. It features an assortment of music by Nyman, primarily from film scores, originally written for his trademark Michael Nyman Band, which includes strings, winds, brass, keyboards, and percussion, arranged by John Parkinson for the distinctly nineteenth century ensemble of an assortment of cornets, horns, euphoniums, baritone horns, trombones, and basses, plus percussion. The music is vintage Nyman, which is to say it's uneven in its quality; movements of striking originality bump up against others that are jarringly derivative and/or tedious. The most interesting music here comes from the soundtrack to the 2004 film The Libertine. The movements are varied and dramatic; it's easy to hear how the music would work well in underlining theatrical situations, and it also has enough of a distinctive profile to be fully effective on its own. Chasing sheep is best left to shepherds, from the Peter Greenaway film The Draughtman's Contract, is an entertaining romp that uses eighteenth century musical language and syntax, but with a driving, rock-like beat, and it builds to a terrific climax, an appropriate finale for the album. The variety of Nyman's styles and Parkinson's skillful arrangements keep the potential density of the ensemble from becoming overbearing. Andrew Berryman conducts Wingates Band, a 30-member ensemble founded in 1873, in performances that are rousing and muscular, and sometimes surprisingly poetic. The sound is crisp, bright, and resonant. ~ Stephen Eddins, Rovi

Performances

Composer	Title	Time
Michael Nyman	The Ogre, film score (Knights at school)	7:37
Michael Nyman	The Ogre, film score (Child bearer)	3:30
Michael Nyman	The Ogre, film score (Magic forest)	1:02
Michael Nyman	The Ogre, film score (Göering's hunting party)	2:20
Michael Nyman	The Ogre, film score (Abel's revolt)	3:55
Michael Nyman	The Ogre, film score (Meeting the moose)	4:34
Michael Nyman	The Ogre, film score (Into the woods)	1:17
Michael Nyman	The Ogre, film score (Abel carries Ephraim)	5:25
Michael Nyman	The Libertine, film score (Upon nothing)	1:19
Michael Nyman	The Libertine, film score (My Lord all-pride)	1:29
Michael Nyman	The Libertine, film score (A satire against reason)	3:32
Michael Nyman	The Libertine, film score (The mistress)	5:51
Michael Nyman	The Libertine, film score (Against constancy)	2:47
Michael Nyman	The Libertine, film score (Signior d)	2:07
Michael Nyman	The Libertine, film score (A satire against mankind)	2:49
Michael Nyman	In Re Don Giovanni, for band	2:18
Michael Nyman	The Draughtsman's Contract, film score (Chasing sheep is best left to shepherds)	5:17

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