
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 18, 1991                   TAG: 9104180359
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: E-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SETH WILLIAMSON/ SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

CROWD ENTHUSIASTIC FOR WORLD-CLASS BRASS

It was a burn-down-the-house finale Wednesday night when the Budapest Brass Quintet visited Roanoke College's Olin Hall for the season-ending concert of the Roanoke Valley Chamber Music Society. These five players - each of whom is a principal in a major Hungarian symphony orchestra - provided a demonstration of world-class brass playing to an enthusiastic, nearly full house.

It hasn't been the smoothest of American tours for the group, which is traveling to dates in a rented station wagon. A few days ago, after a minor speeding violation in a small Georgia town, the quintet spent four hours in jail due to a communications problem. And a few hours before Wednesday night's concert, tubaist Lasxlo Szabo developed a valve problem with his instrument and could locate no repairman, forcing him to do without the valve (to no apparent effect) at Olin Hall.

By any standard of brass playing - articulation, dynamics, purity of tone, ensemble - this quintet is the equal of any in the world. Eastern European brass players at one time sounded markedly different from their West European and American counterparts, with thinner, more brilliant trumpet tone and a degree of horn vibrato that was distinctly foreign in the West. Interestingly, these young players demonstrated that Eastern European brass playing is now closer to Western styles, with fatter, warmer tone and less vibrato.

The eclectic program included Jean-Joseph Mouret's "Rondeau" (better known in this country as the "Masterpiece Theatre" theme), a suite of Elizabethan dances by Anthony Holborne, Ludwig Maurer's amiable "Three Pieces for Brass," and a set of "Old Hungarian Folk Songs and Dances" by Antal Farkas. The high point of the first half was Malcolm Arnold's spare neo-classical "Quintet," Op. 73.

The second half featured bravura individual performances. Hornist Imre Magyari soloed in V. Monti's "Csardas," which in an earlier generation was known as a showpiece for trumpeter Rafael Mendez. Tubaist Szabo was featured in Antal Farkas' "Bass Polka," which as a piece of music is on the "Tubby the Tuba" level. But it contains a long and difficult cadenza which Szabo played effortlessly. Trombonist Franz Koczias turned in a performance of E. Cook's Spanish-flavored "Bolivar" that was flawless except for an unfortunate clam on the final note. And trumpeter Pal Petz picked up the B-flat piccolo trumpet for a blistering version of Grigoras Dinicu's gypsy dance "Skylark."

In a performance that was soulful enough for any New Orleans funeral, the Budapest Brass Quintet got shouts and a standing ovation for "Just a Closer Walk With Thee," in the Don Gillis arrangement originally performed by the Canadian Brass. After sustained applause, they encored with a Scott Joplin rag.

Seth Williamson produces feature news stories and a classical music program on public radio station WVTF (89.1 FM) in Roanoke.

by CNB