Mosaic A4 Brass Quartet

• José Serebrier (b. 1938): Cuarteto (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet):
• 1Serebrier: Cuarteto (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet): I. Meditación06:47
• 2Serebrier: Cuarteto (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet): II. Danza01:16
• 3Serebrier: Cuarteto (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet): III. Canción04:01
• 4Serebrier: Cuarteto (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet): IV. Ronda01:43
• Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990):
• 5Bernstein: Candide: Overture (Arr. D. Thomas for Brass Quartet)04:21
• Jonathan Bates (b. 1995):
• 6Bates: Toccata II02:19
• Anton Bruckner (1824 - 1896):
• 7Bruckner: Locus iste, WAB 23 (Arr. C. Robertson for Brass Quartet)02:48
• Béla Bartók (1881 - 1945): 6 Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56 (Arr. C. Robertson for Brass Quartet):
• 8Bartók: 6 Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56 (Arr. C. Robertson for Brass Quartet): No. 1, Joc cu bâtǎ01:11
• 9Bartók: 6 Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56 (Arr. C. Robertson for Brass Quartet): No. 2, Brâul00:34
• 10Bartók: 6 Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56 (Arr. C. Robertson for Brass Quartet): No. 3, Pê-loc01:09
• 11Bartók: 6 Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56 (Arr. C. Robertson for Brass Quartet): No. 4, Buciumeana00:55
• 12Bartók: 6 Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56 (Arr. C. Robertson for Brass Quartet): No. 5, Poargǎ româneascǎ - No. 6, Mǎrunţel01:26
• Joseph Kosma (1905 - 1969):
• 13Kosma: Autumn Leaves (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet)04:23
• Christian Overhead (b. 1989): 5 Miniatures (Excerpts):
• 14Overhead: 5 Miniatures (Excerpts): LR [A Chirpy Lark]02:12
• 15Overhead: 5 Miniatures (Excerpts): IM [A Rhythmic Interlude]02:12
• 16Overhead: 5 Miniatures (Excerpts): EJ [A Boisterous Fugue]02:32
• Percy Grainger (1882 - 1961):
• 17Grainger: Molly on the Shore (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet)03:59
• Daniel Hall (b. 1996):
• 18Hall: The Black Dahlia06:12
• Kentaro Sato (b. 1981):
• 19Sato: Tsuna'ngari (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet)03:38
• Bramwell Tovey (b. 1953): Street Songs:
• 20Tovey: Street Songs: No. 1, In Strict Laid Back Time02:23
• 21Tovey: Street Songs: No. 2, Brazen02:31
• 22Tovey: Street Songs: No. 3, Adagio "The Silent Voices"05:04
• 23Tovey: Street Songs: No. 4, Very Fast Indeed02:27
• Sir Edward Elgar (1857 - 1934):
• 24Elgar: Salut d'amour, Op. 12 (Arr. J. Bates for Brass Quartet)02:55
• Total Runtime01:08:58

Info for Mosaic

The A4 Brass Quartet formed in 2013 at Manchester's Royal Northern College of Music, the quartet comprises principal players from some of the UK's top brass bands, including Black Dyke, Foden's and Brighouse & Rastrick. It's unique blend of instruments - cornet (Jamie Smith), tenor horn (Jonathan Bates), baritone horn (Mike Cavanagh) and euphonium (Chris Robertson) - creates a unique sound that stands out from the standard brass quartet. An exciting kaleidoscope of new music and bespoke arrangements for the ensemble's distinctive line-up, Mosaic makes a bold claim for the vibrancy and variety of contemporary brass music. It's aim, the quartet says, "is to take the listener on a journey in which they are never quite certain what lies around the corner". First recordings include Bramwell Tovey's Street Songs, inspired by photographs of 19th-century Salvation Army bands, three movements from Christian Overhead's vibrant portraiture in music, 5 Miniatures (both composed for A4 Brass), an arrangement by Jonathan Bates of José Serebrier's vivacious Cuarteto, Bates's own virtuosic Toccata 2, and Daniel Hall's visceral take on a notorious Hollywood murder dubbed The Black Dahlia, which won the A4 Brass Quartet's inaugural composition competition in 2018. Lighter fare is provided by Elgar's perennially popular Salut d'Amour, the ebullient Overture to Leonard Bernstein's Candide, and three more arrangements by Bates: Percy Grainger's dancing Molly on the Shore, the lovelorn jazz standard, Autumn Leaves, and Kentaro Sato's tribute to victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Tsuna'ngari ('connection'). Euphonium player Chris Robertson provides striking arrangements of Bruckner's beloved motet Locus iste, and Bartók's Six Romanian Folk Dances that exploit the quartet's distinctively individual signature.

A4 Brass Quartet:
Jamie Smith, cornet, flugelhorn
Jonathan Bates, tenor horn
Michael Cavanagh, baritone horn
Chris Robertson, euphonium

A4 Brass Quartet
With “technical virtuosity in abundance” (Brass Band World), these four astonishing musicians come together to perform both lyrical and high-octane works, creating a distinctive sound, and a new take on chamber music.

The Quartet has performed widely throughout the UK appearing at major venues and festivals including Wigmore Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Bridgewater Hall, Cadogan Hall, St. Margaret’s Church Westminster Abbey (for Park Lane Group), Lake District Summer Music, and King’s Lynn Festival. Recent engagements include a residency at the Lieksa Brass Week in Finland, a concert in the Ceresio Estate Festival in Switzerland, a re-invitation to the Trakai Fanfare Week in Lithuania, and a London appearance at the Purcell Room.

They have featured on national television and radio, appearing three times on ITV’s Christmas Carol Concerts and on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune. In 2016, they released their critically-acclaimed debut CD Mists of the Mountains featuring new music composed specifically for them, including works by Martin Ellerby, Edward Gregson, Oliver Waespi, and Nigel Clarke.

Formed in 2013 while studying at the Royal Northern College of Music, in their first year the Quartet won the coveted Philip Jones Brass Ensemble of the Year prize. They went on to represent the brass department in the College’s overall chamber music prize, winning the Christopher Rowland Ensemble of the Year Award and claiming both the jury and the audience’s votes. The Quartet recently completed the prestigious International Artist Diploma in Chamber Music course at the RNCM as John Fewkes scholars.

The Quartet has won numerous prizes and awards including the 2018 Royal Over-Seas League Chamber Music Competition, a 2017 Tunnell Trust Award, the Tillett Trust Young Artists’ Platform series and the Musicians’ Company Concert Series. They regularly work with Live Music Now and Music in Hospitals scheme and are committed to expanding and diversifying their work.

Booklet for Mosaic