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'Wholly Brass': A review
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Published: March 17, 2009
Although it wasn't seventy six trombones marching up on the stage at Mac Gray Auditorium in Statesville, North Carolina on March 15, 2009, the five brass players who make up Wholly Brass impressed the audience with their moves and music.
David Glukh heads the group which consists of two trumpets, two trombones, and a French horn. Glukh mostly played the piccolo trumpet, which is half the size of the B flat trumpet and higher in pitch, and Jo Ann Lamolino played the second trumpet, Michael Boscorino and Michael Enstrom played the two trombones, and Steven Behnke the French horn.
After the group danced their way on stage and formed a semi-circle, Glukh explained that the opening toccata of Monteverdi's "Orfeo" (1607) was a trumpet fanfare, and it became a practice in the 16th-century to open entertainment with trumpets; therefore, they selected this tradition to open their show.
Glukh appeared to be very relaxed as he filled in the background of the various selections and composers. He threw in bits of humor which seemed to put the audience at ease, and he indicated that the group as a whole helped pick out the numbers by saying, "we thought it was a great tune." They included a variety of pieces ranging from Handel's "Water Music Suite" in three movements to the popular standard, "Autumn Leaves" by J. Kosma.
One of the highlights of the show was "Gypsy Craze," a piece that Glukh composed which displayed a whirlwind of rhythms starting with a basso ostinato in the bass trombone and surrounded by different motifs played by the other instruments.
Appropriately, their last selection was "That's Plenty;" however, the audience did not agree and brought them back for an encore. Afterwards, they danced and played their way off stage to the next concert and the next musical adventure.
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