Canadian Clowns Exhibit Masterful Flair

From the virtuoso playing of traditional baroque to the jazzier, modern sounds of the past fifty years, the brass quintet is never without a varied repertoire of musical styles to choose from. And it seems the always inventive Canadian Brass does its best to test all the limits of its ensemble. Their concert last Saturday at the Miller Auditorium was a showcase of musical expertise and enjoyment, featuring the talents of trumpeter and former Kalamazooer Brandon Ridenour. Everything about their humorous, crowd-pleasing performance screamed creativity, both in their musical artistry and their unique styles and arrangements.

Hailing from Toronto, Ontario, original founders trombonist Eugene Watts and tuba player Charles Daellenbach provide a historical backbone for the group. They have been with the quintet for over 35 years. The ensemble’s emergence in 1970 was a challenge, as the idea of a five-person ensemble of entirely brass was not yet a widespread, popularized musical assortment. However, through their perseverance and genuine love of the art, Canadian Brass has gained worldwide recognition for their pioneer style and character.

More recent members Jeff Nelsen (horn), Joe Burgstaller (trumpet), and Ridenour add their own youthful energy and pop to the more experienced sounds of Watts and Daellenbach. While each member of the group has evident skill, the most striking talent onstage was found in the impeccable, though sometimes strident playing of trumpeter Burgstaller. His sound had depth and presence, making even the most complicated passages seems easy, both in his technique and calm stage demeanor. His confidence and grandiose playing easily stole the show, though the spotlight stayed stuck on the young Ridenour.

Adding to the great talent of the group’s players, the show exhibited a quirky comedic aspect. Entering the stage in black suits and white Adidas tennis shoes, there was an immediate sense of playfulness to the performance. Daellenbach’s jokes kept the audience entertained throughout the show. He even succeeded in bringing what humor he could to Bach’s adaptation of a Vivaldi piece, mentioning smartly “[Bach] was so taken with it, he took it.” His improvised sarcasm was the maple syrup on the musical performance pancake.

However, as the show went on, it seems that the ensemble was so focused on maintaining the audience’s attention that the performance went from energetic and artful to downright silly. Their closing piece was a western opera, titled Hornsmoke, in which Burgstaller danced across the stage in a bonnet and skirt and Ridenour emerged as a “horn-slinging” villain. While this absurd brass opera certainly kept the crowd laughing, the respect earned in the expert playing of previous pieces plunged significantly.

Despite this exaggerated focus on pleasing the audience, Canadian Brass’ performance was a pleasant surprise. The infusion of the experienced skill of the older members and the youthful energy of the newer musicians made this show both impressive and entertaining. Their one-of-a-kind, innovative style breaks the boundaries of the traditional brass quintet and leaves the audience hungry for more.