UPDATED - new London date and programme details

During February, young brass quintet Lucerne Chamber Brass will be visiting Britain for a pair of performances in Cardiff and London. They’ve won a number of prizes since they were formed at the Musikhochschule Luzer in 1999: prizewinners in the Jan Koetsier Competition in Munich 2001 and winning ‘Best Brass Quintet’ at the Concours International Philip Jones, Guebwiler, France in 2003. Their foundation on familiar brass quintet repertoire has now led to an exploration of Swiss folk music.

Of course, Swiss folk music conjures up images of yodelling, alphorns and accordians. But the ‘Bauernmusik’, or ‘farmer’s music’ of 19th century Switzerland would have been a mix of strings, wind and brass playing marches and dances - polka, waltz, mazurkas and gallops etc.

LCB have studied the music and traditions, spent time working with instruments dating from around 1900 and the project has culminated in a CD. The music includes that found in recently discovered part-books of the Music Society of Hunwil in Canton Appenzell, dating back to 1854.

Their recitals will represent their wide repertoire, including works which were composed in association with the Academy of Music in Lucerne, with the aim of exploring and playing Swiss folk music from the 19th Century.

Programmes to include:
Rossini Finale grande
Ewald Quintet Nr. 1, op. 5
Bozza Sonatine
Bauernmusik (farmer’s music) traditional and revisited

Tuesday 26 February, 1.05pm
Old Royal Naval College Chapel, SE10, London
Recital is part of the Trinity College of Music Brass Experience 2008
Entry: free

Wed 27 February, 7.30pm
Swiss Church in London, 79 Endell Street, London WC2H 9DY
Entry: £10, concessions £6, including refreshments

Thursday 28 February 2008, 1:05pm
Weston Gallery, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Cardiff
Entry: £4, £2