Axiom Brass
"New Standards"
Released Nov 16th, 2010
www.axiombrass.com/newstandards
Frost Fire was commissioned by the American Brass Quintet in 1989 to commemorate the 30th anniversary (in 1990) of the founding of the ensemble. The work, based on traditional forms and models, is in three movements.
The first movement, marked "Bright and Fast," is a joyous celebration of sonorous chords, playful motives and rhythmic gestures. It is in strict sonata-allegro form with a clearly defined and introduction and coda. The second movement, marked "Gentle and Mysterious," has a waltz-like feel. In a ternary (A-B-A) form, the outer sections consist of ribbons of melodies being gently passed from instrument to instrument. The middle section is a stately fugue which builds in intensity, volume and rich sounding resonance. The final movement, "Tense and Dramatic," brings back material from the first movement, but sets it in a much more turbulent and frenetic environment. Although this movement is based on the skeletal outlines of a sonata form, it is much freer and more erratic, with shifting meters and contrasting, interpolated passages, ultimately leading the way to a heroic and dynamic conclusion.
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