Das Rennquintett    Mills & More

 

CD-Contents:

  
   

Joseph Haydn  (1732 – 1809)
      Trumpet Concerto in E–flat major   (Arr.: Fred Mills)

  

  1   Allegro  

5'58''

  2   Andante  

3'35''

  3   Rondo Allegro  

4'40''

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart  (1756 – 1791)

  

  4   Rondo Allegro  KV 407   (Arr.: Fred Mills)

3'42''

Giuseppe Tartini  (1692 – 1770)
       Concerto for Trumpet   (Arr.: Fred Mills)

  

  5   Allegro

3'54''

  6   Adagio

2'02''

  7   Allegro

3'08''

Georg Friedrich Haendel  (1685 – 1759)

  

  8   Ode "Eternal Source"   (Arr.: Fred Mills)
       Soprano: Annette Ruoff

3'03''

Johann Sebastian Bach  (1685 – 1750)
       Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C–major   BWV 564   (Arr.: Fred Mills)

  

  9   Toccata

6'17''

10   Adagio

3'59''

11   Fugue

4'37''

Leroy Anderson  (1908 – 1975)

  

12   Bugler's Holiday   (Arr.: Howard Cable)

2'32''

Dave Brubeck  (* 1920)

  

13   The Duke   (Arr.: Bill Motzing / Fred Mills)

2'58''

Traditional

  

14   High Society   (Arr.: Luther Henderson / Fred Mills)

3'40''
 

Total Time:   

54'09''






   Das Rennquintett    Mills & More


    I had met DAS RENNQUINTETT five years ago while touring Germany with the Canadian Brass, but it was not until September 1997 when I heard this marvellous quintet that I realized what a fine spirit DAS RENNQUINTETT possessed. This spirit begins with five virtuosi on their respective instruments and refines itself into the best Brass Quintet in Germany today. In other words, world class! RENN is not only exemplary of the long, fine tradition of German Brass playing but can produce an international quality to sparkle any style or period of music whether jazz or renaissance.
    When I had the opportunity to perform with and then make a recording with DAS RENNQUINTETT I was also very honored to call these five superb musicians my friends.





    In the summer of 1981, I was introduced to Canadian Brass for the first time. I heard a recording of the Bach Toccata and Fugue in d-minor that took my breath away. It was unfathomable to me that such a great and complex work could possibly be played by five brass players, let alone with such impeccable precision! ...... simply heavenly. One of the divine musicians was the trumpet player Fred Mills, who not only mastered one of the two trumpet parts, but also arranged the piece for brass quintet.
    In light of this extraterrestrial musical experience, I considered hanging up my instrument for good, but decided to do just the opposite. With this ensemble as my ideal, I formed together with four equally motivated colleagues DAS RENNQUINTETT.
    If anyone had tried to tell me then that we would one day produce a CD with Fred Mills, I would have told him he was crazy.
    Our first musical encounter was in Jever during the fall of 1997. We clicked immediately, and without wasting a lot of words performed a wonderful concert. It was quite obvious that this encounter would have consequences. In your hands, you hold the product of those consequences. I am proud of our joint project, and I tip my hat to a musician who has not only been largely responsible (and still is) for brass players having discovered a new role within the world of chamber music, but also helping brass quintet earn it's rightful place as a significant genre in music.








    The famous concerto for trumpet in E-flat major from Joseph Haydn demonstrates a totally new dimension of chamber music thanks to Fred's arrangement. In a masterly way the quintet competes with the soloist. This version for six brass soloists will certainly prevail and enhance an interesting aspect to the brass literature.
    Another enrichment for the quintet repertoire is the Rondo Allegro KV 407 from W.A. Mozart. Written originally for French horn, violin, 2 violas and cello, it will surely be heard more often in this interpretation, due to Fred's excellent arrangement for brassquintet. Provided that the French hornist masters the solo part in an equally superb way as Sjoen does on our recording.
    The concerto for violin from Tartini was made famous as a trumpet concerto by Maurice André; Fred allows this version for brass sextet to radiate in a completely new but just as exquisite style.
    The Ode from G.F. Haendel, "Eternal Source", was composed in honor of Queen Anne's birthday. As in the original the vocal part is supplemented with trumpet obligato, the continuo being replaced by a velvety brass sound. We would like to express our gratitude to our guest soloist Annette Ruoff for the beautiful interpretation of this simple, but still profound movement!
    Fred's arrangement of J.S. Bach's Toccata, Adagio and Fugue BWV 564 is a true masterpiece. Thank you, Fred, for allowing us to make the debut recording!
    Howard Cable's sextet arrangement of the everlasting Bugler's Holiday from Leroy Anderson remains vibrant and humorous as always, especially when the part of the first solo trumpet is performed by a master like Fred Mills.
    The Duke from Dave Brubeck, led by Fred on the piccolo trumpet, has become an extraordinary harmonic pleasure in this relaxed sextet version by Bill Motzing.
    Luther Henderson's arrangement of High Society was tailor–made for Fred. Once again he proofs, why he has such a strong influence on brass chamber music: nobody can play the clarinet–lines on the piccolo trumpet with such ease and style!

Thank you very much, Fred!

Your trumpet colleagues Uwe Zaiser and Peter Leiner








Fred Mills

    Fred Mills was born in Guelph, Canada. While at the Juilliard School of Music studying with William Vacchiano, Fred was invited to join the Houston Symphony Orchestra (Texas) as Principal Trumpet by the conductor Leopold Stokowski. In 1961 Stokowski formed the American Symphony Orchestra in New York City and Fred was a founding member.
    While living in NYC Fred played with the Symphony of the Air, NYC Ballet Orchestra, Musica Aeterna Orchestra at the Metropolitan Museum, Marlboro Festival Orchestra and Casals Festival Orchestra; he recorded with Morton Gould, Robert Shaw, Igor Stravinsky, William Steinberg and Stokowski.
    For six years Fred was principal trumpet with the New York City Opera Orchestra.
    In 1968 Fred returned to Canada to play with the Orchestra of the National Ballet of Canada, then was appointed solo trumpet with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa.
    In 1972 he joined the Canadian Brass and for 24 years Fred played over 3500 concerts in Asia, Europe and North America with the CB.
    As a member of the renowned Canadians, Fred made over 40 CDs for RCA, Sony, Philips and BMG. During this time Fred contributed more than 50 transcriptions and arrangements to the Canadian Brass repertoire.
    While with the CB Fred made numerous TV appearances on PBS, CBC, NDR, NHK, BBC and all the American Television Networks. He was a Grammy award nominee in 1992.
    Presently, Fred is Professor of Trumpet and Brass Chamber Music at the University of Georgia.
    Mills continues to be active as a soloist and brass quintet clinician. Appearances since leaving the CB include Summit Brass (USA), Victoria Symphony Orchestra, The German Brass, New Sousa Band with Keith Brion, Orquesta Sinfonica de Aguascalientes (Mexico), Brassa Nova (Sweden), Hartwick College Summer Music Festival, New York Philharmonic Brass Quintet, Mostly Mozart Festival (NYC), Spain Brass (Luurs-Metalls Brass Quintet), Basel Brass Quintet (Switzerland), DAS RENNQUINTETT (Germany), Rialto Brass (Atlanta).
    The latest CD called Mills & More was produced with DAS RENNQUINTETT and is featuring Fred as a soloist and arranger.



Annette Ruoff

    born 1961 in Stuttgart, raised in Marbach on the Neckar, studied at the music colleges in Mannheim, Stuttgart and Karlsruhe. Vocal teacher at the Badische Konservatorium in Karlsruhe and at the Mannheim/Heidelberg Music College. International solo performances with "lied" and oratorios, CD and radio recordings; since 1994 member of the SWR–Vokalensemble Stuttgart.







CREDITS

Digitally recorded in 1998
Sound engineer and digital mastering: Reinhard Geller
Production: Rudolf Bayer
Text: Uwe Zaiser, Peter Leiner
Photos: Reiner Voss



SurroundSound
24–Bit–Recording, SuperNoiseShaping SNS (®PrismSound)