CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Holiday Classics and Future Favorites

WORKS COMPOSED and ARRANGED for BRASS QUINTET

MAINSTREET BRASS
KEVIN LONG & DONALD HUGHES trumpet
SHARI GLEASON-MAYRHOFER horn
BRYAN HAY trombone
ALLEN FRANK tuba

A. Danson narrator

Richard Groller, Steven Mathiesen,
Kevin Spear and Michael Vought percussion

  $14.95  ~  MS1325 

"The Mainstreet Brass, consisting of Kevin Long and David Hughes, trumpets; Shari Gleason-Mayrhofer, horn; Bryan Hay, trombone; and Allen Frank, tuba, give us a bountiful program of Christmas carols and traditionals that range from heavenly mystery to down-to-earth revelry. On the side of the celestial we have brass arrangements of Once in Royal David’s City, In the Bleak Midwinter, Wexford Carol, We Three Kings of Orient, and Joseph Lieber, Joseph Mein, among others. Deck the Halls, Gloucestershire Wassail, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas weigh in on the side of the festive traditionals. When it comes to hijinks, you can’t beat the Christmas Medley on Track 6, finishing with an arrangement of The Twelve Days of Christmas in a range of styles from Flamenco to Swing, and featuring percussionist friends of the Mainstreet Brass playing a menagerie that includes duck call, train and referee’s whistles, whip, car horn, cowbell, coconut shells and castanets. Go Tell It on the Mountain begins quietly and reverently and finishes on a note of gospel music jubilation.  A special treat has English composer Alan Danson, a number of whose arrangements are heard on this disc, narrating his own version of Dickens’ perennial favorite, A Christmas Carol. A brass setting of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen streams through the presentation in variants ranging from festive to funeral, as Ebenezer Scrooge receives his three ghostly visitors, ending on a mood of quiet joy at the miser’s reformation. For pure delight, this Christmas offering is hard to resist."
Phil Muse, Audio Video Club of Atlanta ~ December 2009

"The Mainstreet Brass turns everything it touches into holiday gold with originality and stylistic flair. This recording, for brass quintet and brass with percussion, is simply a gem. In addition to numerous holiday favorites, 11 pieces of "Christmas Spirit" are brand-new holiday arrangements commissioned especially for the project. Especially notable is "A Little Christmas Medley" by Jonathan Smith, a former band member of London's Coldstream Guards. Another unusual piece is a unique musical treatment, with narration, of "A Christmas Carol," by London-based composer and arranger Alan Danson. "A Christmas Carol - A Dickens of a Tale" is the ghostly tale of Charles Dickens' classic. It is dramatically narrated by the composer himself against a miniature musical stage where instruments capture the moans of Marley's ghost and the merriment of the Fezziwig's party. Its reading of "Joy to the World" is perhaps the best I have ever heard, with resounding trumpet fanfares, baroque trills, and timpani-like drums. It sounds here like something right out of the "Messiah," which makes sense since the carol is traditionally attributed to Handel. Even "Frosty the Snowman" is an unexpected joy, a nostalgic romp complete with a slow harmonic melt-down of Frosty. The traditional "Go Tell it on the Mountain" starts as a solemn prayer but concludes in a foot-tapping, hand-waving Gospel celebration. The Mainstreet Brass even breaths new life into a swinging "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" medley, with slide whistles, and an array of amusing sound effects. Excellent notes on each piece add to the enjoyment of this wonderful holiday recording."
The Morning Call, Bethlehem, PA ~ November 2009

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For brass players, Christmastime is one of the best times of the year. For us, bringing out the stacks of carol arrangements each December is just like breaking out the boxes of Christmas tree ornaments and lights and decorating for the season.

Mainstreet Brass is pleased to present “Christmas Spirit,” which contains 11 new Christmas arrangements for brass — alone and with percussion — as well as some old favorites and a few surprises. We hope you enjoy this recording and make it part of your holiday tradition for years to come. From Scrooge’s ghostly visitors to a sip of wassail, “Christmas Spirit” brings together a selection of carols and songs that will rekindle memories of Christmases past and bring anticipation of those yet to come.

Mainstreet Brass formed in 1986, inspired by a musical camaraderie, a passion for brass quintet literature and performance and a goal to present interesting and entertaining music to its audiences. The quintet has performed for enthusiastic audiences at arts festivals, colleges and concert series in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, New England, the Midwest and the United Kingdom. Described by concert presenters as “marvelously delightful” and “magical, balanced and alive,” Mainstreet Brass presents varied repertoire spanning the centuries — from florid 17th century canzons and Bach transcriptions to memorable show tunes and blues ranging from Jelly Roll Morton, W.C. Handy and Fats Waller. The ensemble is recognized for its refined playing, presenting engaging, accessible literature for all audiences and for actively commissioning new works and arrangements. Besides its concert schedule, the group also performs regularly for church services in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and provides ceremonial music for academic ceremonies at regional colleges and universities. For more information, visit

www.mainstreetbrass.com

ALSO AVAILABLE from MAINSTREET BRASS

BY REQUEST
MS1290