Empire Brass Quintet

Nowadays the Empire Brass Quintet needs an introduction only outside the United States (although it has visited Europe several times since 1976, appearing in West Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Austria and Switzerland).

The five ambitious young men are recognised in their own country, certainly since 1976, when they were the first brass ensemble to win the revered Naumburg prize, the most coveted trophy for chamber music groups. This honour, previously associated with more intimate sounds, seems to have become a duty for the Empire players: "We try to play like a string quartet", says trumpeter Rolf Smedvig, "and we have always taken advice from string players."

It seems to have paid dividends, as the comparison with string quartets crops up several times in the invariably glowing press reports — always in favour of the velvet sound of the Empire players.

As far as repertoire is concerned, however, the EBQ uses a minimum of gimmicks. Its greatest hits have come from original 19th century brass writing — previously disregarded gems like the three quintets by the Tchaikovsky pupil Victor Ewald (LP Sine Qua Non 2012), but especially the American Brass Band Journal (Columbia M 34192 and Sine Qua Non 2017), a real "find": a curious collection of marches, dances and songs arranged for brass by the German bandmaster G.W.E. Friedrich who emigrated to America around 1850.