Thanks to new developments in valve technique, the ranges of the original, natural brass instruments were expanded during the first half of the nineteenth century. The customary "brass harmonic sound", originally very simple, was now available at once for fully fledged solos for these instruments within the orchestral context. Classical and romantic composers eagerly expanded their expressive palettes with this new acquisition. Nonetheless, virtuosos of the up-and-coming generation playing these new instruments were relatively rare at first, despite the existence of many good, even prominent brass players. Composers thus wrote correspondingly few solo and chamber works in this genre. This situation underwent a fundamental change during the twentieth century. The trailblazing successes of soloists and ensembles encouraged the development of young talent. This resulted in an increasing expansion of the repertoire, tending away from the arrangement of popular works of the baroque and classical eras and towards the composition of original works.

The present selection of compositions by John Cheetham, Eugène Bozza, Vincent Persichetti, Leonard Bernstein, Witold Lutoslawski, André Previn and Kerry Turner, performed by the Brass Quintet München offers an interesting and entertaining glimpse into the modern brass repertoire.

This first-class ensemble (Hannes Läubin, trumpet - Thomas Kiechle, trumpet - Luiz García, horn - Thomas Horch, trombone - Alexander von Puttkamer, tuba), made up of solo brass players from the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and other renowned German orchestras, guarantees musical enjoyment on the very highest level.