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What is your favorite Euphonium cd? Mine would have to be Brian Bowman's The Sacred Euphonium. Why? I am a devout Christian and I love Christian worship music, and also because of Dr. Bowman's sheer musicality and beautiful singing tone.

Well, Steve's CD's are great - and they provide a wealth of repertoire. But, if there is one CD that I always go back to it would have to be Thomas Ruedi's Elegie - for those that have it - you just can't get technique to sound more musical, and any cleaner... it just can't happen. For those that don't know what I am talking about - go purchase it, seriously... My $.02 FWIW. Also, American Variations with Bowman and CCM is jam packed with things that we don't get to hear all the time - Romberg Student Prince, Goldman Scherzo, and others... A true gem.

- Pat Stuckemeyer

I'll go with two:

David Thornton, "Three Worlds": fearless, flawless, playing, no compromise musical selction, power virtuosity at the very highest level combined with well developed musical sensitivity. One of those "I am going to show you just good I am" CDs. And because he is that good, all you can say is bravo.

Morgan Griffiths, "Voice of the Euphonium": the whole is geater than the parts. Some of the selections are questionable, even trite. But, because he is absolutely, without a doubt, the most sensitive, subtle, and musical euphonium player I have ever heard, I give it the nod. There's magic on this CD.

Listen to the world class players, that's who you learn from.

John

Morgan Griffith's "Voice of the Euphonium" is excellent. I also like his playing of 'Lament' on "Cry of the Celts" CD. I have to get David Thornton's CD. Don't have it and have heard a lot about him.

One CD I seem to be playing a lot these past few weeks is David Child's "Hear My Prayer". Also excellent. Starts of with 'Abide with Me' in key of Gb. I would have never picked that key, but it sounds good in that key. I play that now as part of my warm up... soft playing with good tone, phrasing, and breathing. There's a good arrangenment of "How Great Thou Art" with 4 euphoniums on that CD. Bob and Nick Child's help out here. I forget who the fourth is right now.

I also have Thomas Ruedi's "Elegie". Very good CD. Haven't listened to it lately. I'll have to get it out again.

Yes, 3 Worlds by David Thornton has to be a clear winner for me.

I see there is another new CD out now by Tormod Flaten, look forward to hearing that one.

CB

Just to make it easy for you, here's a link to the David Thornton CD Three Worlds!

Thanks - but I hope to find it here in the US. At today's exchange rate, £12.95 is about $23. With shipping (£3.30), that would be close to $30.

Steven Mead: BRAVURA was amazing and is my favorite

Here's the review of Norwegian Euphonium;

http://www.4barsrest.com/reviews/cds/cd237.asp

CB

BUMP

Steven Mead's Euphonium Magic . Total commercial, total fluff . But fun to listen to .

No one has mentioned Michael Colburn's CD on Summit. It contains brilliant performances of all the old stuff one would have heard at a band concert in the park 50 to 80 years ago. Colburn is now Lt. Col. Colburn, Commander U.S. Marine Band "The President's Own". As the Col. (then Major Colburn) was kind enough to answer a personal email two years ago when I was returning to low brass playing after a 31 year layoff, I'll always be partial to his recording. Besides that, it's just plain fun to listen to.

Norm in Bellevue wrote:No one has mentioned Michael Colburn's CD on Summit. It contains brilliant performances of all the old stuff one would have heard at a band concert in the park 50 to 80 years ago. Colburn is now Lt. Col. Colburn, Commander U.S. Marine Band "The President's Own". As the Col. (then Major Colburn) was kind enough to answer a personal email two years ago when I was returning to low brass playing after a 31 year layoff, I'll always be partial to his recording. Besides that, it's just plain fun to listen to.

Just in case anyone is wondering - that disc is called, The Golden Age of Brass, vol. 3 - and it is excellent.

- Pat Stuckemeyer

"The three Roger Behrend CDs. Much better musicianship than Steve Mead. '

I disagree. My opinion is that Steve Mead has the best all around musicianship of any of today's recorded soloists. Others may do certain things better, but no one bests him in overall musicianship. And no one beats him in the elegance of his interpretations.

With Mead, even at his worst on his sometimes silly, commercial, overdubbed CDs, you know you are listening to a world class player.

John

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JTJ wrote:"The three Roger Behrend CDs. Much better musicianship than Steve Mead. '

I disagree. My opinion is that Steve Mead has the best all around musicianship of any of today's recorded soloists. Others may do certain things better, but no one bests him in overall musicianship. And no one beats him in the elegance of his interpretations.

With Mead, even at his worst on his sometimes silly, commercial, overdubbed CDs, you know you are listening to a world class player.

John

Not going to comment on the Roger vs. Steve thing, but I'd just like to point out that Musicianship can not really be "the best".

The role of an artist is to enterpret the music and create something of their own. To say that one artists interpretations are the best might be defeating the purpose of musicians in the first place. If Chicago made the "best" version of _______ Symphony, why do other orchestras, including Chicago, bother playing it anymore?

I don't like any one artist consistantly over another, as I hear things I like and things I don't like as much in everyone. As for the original question, I would have to say that From the Balcony (Matt Tropman) is an absolutely great CD. It's a great concept, rather than just an assortment of euphonium solos, and it has some great playing and arranging on it.