Yes of course, but it is really difficult and hard to play!!!... I speak from experience! ;D But it is also very fantastic and unbelievable, when you can play so good!!
Jerry, might that be because they are players from an orchestra wind section? Trained to complement the strings and wind rather than compete with the rest of the brass?
I played the mallet part for this piece in college back in 2012 and it was one of my favorite performances. All the running from xylophone to marimba and back to xylophone being done in the back row where nobody ever notices you is a hell of a challenge, but songs like this are so much fun and I honestly wish I could perform it again.
Japanese Bands, never fails to mesmerize and inspire. Along with Tokyo Kosei, they have set the standards which is difficult to emulate. Japanese precision and discipline!
You have it Ezra. The Japanese don't do anything if they don't have technique and discipline to start with. There interpretations are always great to listen to. I am 67 and I wish we had model performances like these to listen to so much.
Totally agree. Remember the japenese after the earth quake disaster back in 2011, or whatever happened. Anyway, they stood pacient in the que, waiting for their turn. You should show dignity, behave. I thought this people must never experience a closing sale in my country.
Hey guys, this is NHK Symphony Orchestra Wind Section as it is written! Not Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. It's true that Tokyo Kosei is great, but don't mix up. NHKSO have been playing under the baton of Blomstedt, Dutoit, Ashkenazy, Previn, Järvi and so on. Different level than Tokyo Kosei.
Iron Man I agree. I also think that they need to bring out the low brass more in general. Their focus is too much on woodwinds in my opinion. There are some important parts in low brass.
I was first chair euphonium in my high school wind ensemble last year and my band director made me listen to this multiple times a day so I could get it right
I've heard a lot of recordings of this piece, and this is probably the best. So much artistic flare and true mastery of the grit in this piece. We played this in the honor band at a hs band camp, and I'll never forget the first day when the horns were workshopping this in their sectional prior to the first read through. Sectionals were held outside around campus, and EVERYONE stopped their respective playing just to listen to the horns rip through this. It would turn out to be the best performance experience of my life to play this piece.
Finally. I haven't heard a good recording of this in years. This is the best recording on RU-vid. So well balanced and the players really own their parts!
I totally agree, once you play it you never forget it.....its fun, easy, hard...D. All the above, and pleasure to listen to always.....Love the French Horn part !!
I didn’t even like high school band but remembering how powerful and excited this song made me feel as a horn player while playing makes me want to go back and do it all over again 😭😭😭
Fantastic Wind Ensemble!! We just had our first rehearsal to begin preparing El Camino Real for a concert in May. Thanks so much for sharing your talents.
Their dedication should not be overlooked. It takes hours and hours and hours of practice every day over a long period of time to be this good. Us junior musicians cannot compare to this orchestra's unbelievable performance.
Awesome performance! We just had our rehearsal tonight with this being one of the pieces we will perform. I've loved this one since high school...and that was 24 years ago. Thanks to all performers!!
Very talented mallet percussionist & at 09:07 everybody is swaying left & right, forward & back like a bunch of drunk sailors really enjoying the rhythm. Love it.
Everyone is losing their mind over the horn players, but all of the musicians were fantastic And the conductor rendered a wonderful interpretation of Reed’s work. It seems like folks are used to the horn section barely making it though this piece, but they did their job. The woodwinds were impeccable, and the percussion section was the exact compliment it was supposed to be. Oh, and having a harp is what most of you are not used to. When composers write music, playing it correctly is what’s expected. We’re all just so used to “almost” that correct is beyond what you’re able to comprehend.
The horns (and the euphonium and the oboe) are absolutely incredible in this but can we give it up for the entire woodwind section (and xylophone) from 8:00 onward?! Holy perfect technique AND phrasing.
TweetyBird, there is no way that a drum corps version would do justice to this piece. For that matter, most drum corps arrangements are like a dog trying to sing.....not good musically, but impressive that they can do it at all.
