Book of Brass Lyrebird Brass

• Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962): Book of Brass:
• 1Higdon: Book of Brass: I. Ramp Up02:29
• 2Higdon: Book of Brass: II. Acrostic03:26
• 3Higdon: Book of Brass: III. Glide and Fade05:07
• 4Higdon: Book of Brass: IV. Punch It Up02:47
• Grace-Evangeline Mason (b. 1994): As Bronze:
• 5Mason: As Bronze03:09
• Kate Neal (b. 1972): Fanfare:
• 6Neal: Fanfare03:31
• Alice Humphries: Uncertain Meditations:
• 7Humphries: Uncertain Meditations: I. Suspended Animation02:04
• 8Humphries: Uncertain Meditations: II. Vorticity02:39
• 9Humphries: Uncertain Meditations: III. Animated Suspensions01:44
• 10Humphries: Uncertain Meditations: IV. Drift (back to you)03:39
• Alan Holley (b. 1954): Goodchild Canzonas:
• 11Holley: Goodchild Canzonas: I. Lyrebird04:24
• 12Holley: Goodchild Canzonas: II. Dulwich Ayre04:35
• 13Holley: Goodchild Canzonas: III. Atrium02:06
• 14Holley: Goodchild Canzonas: IV. Arcadia05:32
• Total Runtime47:12

Info for Book of Brass

Lyrebird Brass presents the world premieres of five contemporary brass quintets in BOOK OF BRASS, an album shaking up the scene with an assortment of boundary-pushing works by highly lauded and awarded composers.

Opening with three time GRAMMY® award winner Jennifer Higdon’s Book of Brass, this titular composition can be played and listened to in any order one pleases. From the intense energy of “Ramp Up” to the puzzling, slowly unfolding maze of “Acrostic,” Higdon certainly knows how to sell a story. Alice Humphries is no stranger to puzzlings in Uncertain Meditations, which considers ideas in isolation, reflecting on their vast possibilities. Reflection is at the core of Grace-Evangeline Mason’s poetic As Bronze, too, and found even in Kate Neal’s Fanfare, which, composed during the 2020 lockdown period, challenges what a fanfare represents.

Alan Holley rounds out the recording with The Goodchild Canzonas, a four movement work exploring atriums, cathedrals, and the heavens above, but perhaps most appropriately: the Lyrebird. BOOK OF BRASS is a winning installment in Lyrebird Brass’s already impressive oeuvre, pulling out all the stops with spirited fanfares and contemplative odes.

Lyrebird Brass:
Joel Brennan, trumpet
Rosie Turner, trumpet
Carla Blackwood, horn
Don Immel, trombone
Tim Buzbee, tuba

Lyrebird Brass
is a collective of musicians dedicated to performing the finest brass chamber music, with a mission to engage audiences through exceptional artistry and accessible programming. The members of Lyrebird Brass have each developed an international reputation, performing in many of the world’s premier ensembles, and bring a unique musical perspective to the group.

Passionate advocates for the creation of new compositions, Lyrebird Brass has a particular focus on spotlighting the richness of Australian music and uplifting the works of composers from diverse and underrepresented groups. This commitment reflects a deeper ethos of the ensemble — to reflect the evolving tapestry of culture and community through the power and versatility of brass music. As the first professional brass chamber group in Australia to have women as core members, they are helping reshape the narrative of what it means to be a brass musician in the modern era.

The group’s name pays homage to a unique songbird native to the ensemble’s hometown of Melbourne. Known for singing hours each day in a combination of mimicked noises and their own distinctive song, Lyrebirds are even able to vocalise multiple melodies simultaneously. The name is also a reference to Éditions de l’Oiseau-Lyre (Lyrebird Press), a part of Louise Hanson-Dyer’s legacy which has long benefited the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music where the ensemble currently teaches.

This album contains no booklet.