High Bridge Brass

[Hiramdiaz1]

Hello all,

I’d like to introduce the High Bridge Brass, an all conical brass quintet. The quintet’s members are:

Chris Martin of the New York Philharmonic and Mark Ridenour of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Cornets.

Nathan Miller of Asbury University on Tenor Horn

Hiram Diaz of Washington D.C. on Euphonium

Chris Tiedeman of Washington D.C. on Tuba


We have a newly released album available for sale at:

Highbridgebrass.com

The album features Ewald quintets 1 and 3 and the Bohme sextet in their intended instrumentation. Please visit the website for more details about the album and about our upcoming performances!

Best,

Hiram

[davewerden]

Congratulations on the new CD! It's nice to see efforts to use conical brass, particularly when that is what the composer(s) expected.

For those who are not familiar with the group, here is a YouTube video of a movement from the Ewald. Acoustics are not the best because it's outside, but the sensitive playing is still evident.

At around 4:15 in the video below, the cornet plays a short line and then the horn answers it. Such moments show the value of using the upright horn instead of the more common French horn - the upright fits in with the rest of the instruments better (IMHO) because of its greater acoustic clarity.

[SteveP]

I really enjoyed listening to the Ewald. Question though. Is the tenor horn really a conical instrument? I've heard them called trombones with valves because, I assume, of their less conical trombone-like sound. Just curious. You guys sound great!

[davewerden]

A tenor horn is considered conical. The tone is brighter than a French horn because of the mouthpiece and bell, and possibly some other bore differences, but they are conical.

[John the Theologian]

Aren't tenor horns similar in structure to a Bb British baritone, only pitched higher?

If I'm not mistaken, the conical nature of both of these horns is more cornet-like, unlike the broader conical nature of fluegelhorns and euphoniums.

[davewerden]

Aren't tenor horns similar in structure to a Bb British baritone, only pitched higher?

If I'm not mistaken, the conical nature of both of these horns is more cornet-like, unlike the broader conical nature of fluegelhorns and euphoniums.

Good description! (I think my comment was overly broad.)

[aroberts781]

I'm looking forward to listening to this! I first heard of the project when Hiram Diaz was on the Brass Junkies podcast and the YouTube videos are great. I completely agree with David's comments. Even with less than ideal recording conditions on the videos, the quality of the musicianship comes through (obvious considering the players). Looking forward to hearing the studio recording.

[dsurkin]

Hello all,

I’d like to introduce the High Bridge Brass, an all conical brass quintet. The quintet’s members are:

Chris Martin of the New York Philharmonic and Mark Ridenour of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Cornets.

Nathan Miller of Asbury University on Tenor Horn

Hiram Diaz of Washington D.C. on Euphonium

Chris Tiedeman of Washington D.C. on Tuba


[snip]The album features Ewald quintets 1 and 3 and the Bohme sextet in their intended instrumentation. Please visit the website for more details about the album and about our upcoming performances! [snip]

What's the sixth instrument on the Bohme sextet, and who's the performer?

[John Morgan]

I believe that is Matt Harding, on cornet. He is solo cornetist with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band.

[aroberts781]

This album has been a lot of fun to listen to. I wasn't familiar with the Bohme piece before this and I think it may be my favorite part of the album, although I have enjoyed it all. I also love the descending cornet runs in the final movement of the Ewald quartet no. 3.

Is it correct that part of the appeal of performing these pieces on valved conical brass instruments is the "consistent" tone quality from instrument to instrument? It may be my untrained ear and it may be the relatively low quality equipment I've been listening with, but there are times where I feel like I can't initially tell if a part is on the alto horn or euphonium at the higher end of the euphonium range. Same thing for the tuba and euphonium at the lower end if the euphonium range.