Hommage à S Pickwick Esq (414.01.2Perc) (Neuheit Ensemble)

Hommage à S Pickwick Esq (414.01.2Perc) (Neuheit Ensemble) According to his biographer René Peter, and perhaps not unexpectedly, with what we have now learnt about his eclectic tastes, Debussy was an avid reader of Dickens, for whom "Spleen could be cured by a swift dose of Pickwick." His Hommage à S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C., (Perpetual President and Member of the Pickwick Club) from the second book of Préludes, opens with the British national anthem in the bass and continues with a delightful mixture of rather pompous solemnity and high-spirited frivolity. This arrangement was specially made for the album Preludes, Rags and Cakewalks (MPR 005), performed by The Symphonic Brass of London conducted by Eric Crees. All of the transcriptions are new and original, making this a world premiere recording. ‘Super playing from living legends of the London orchestral brass scene. In these fantastic arrangements it’s sometimes hard to believe these pieces weren’t originally scored for brass. The musicianship throughout is second to none and the sound is an absolute treat. Eric Crees pays his affectionate respects in performances subtly styled, coloured and paced - from the touchingly restrained to the joyfully raucous. Musical authenticity permeates through, understated yet valued in placement and precision. It is a fabulous exploration that deserves the richest of accolades on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.’ Iwan Fox - 4 Bars Rest - Verdict *****