Inevitably Maurice André will have put his mark on our century and his enormous influence can still not be measured today. Maurice André's career has taken form very quickly, and it will be interesting to read the particular course which he has taken. It can be said that his fantastic technical capabilities have shown themselves in a genre — essentially baroque music — which enjoys the highest esteem in our present day society. There are sometimes coincidences which cause the name of an artist to explode in the sky like a firework. Maurice André's is one of them.
This story is the first of its kind to have been realized in this complete manner and appears exclusively in BRASS BULLETIN. In addition to this exceptional biography, we are in the process of presenting to you exclusively from this number onwards and over 3 in all, the story of the stupendous invention of valves for brass instruments (see page 9). Dr Herbert Heyde of Leipzig has assembled a unique documentation which throws a great deal of light on this chapter — up to now a matter of controversy — of the history of brass instruments.
In 1979, BRASS BULLETIN will bring you other stories — besides the usual articles — similar to those of Maurice André: Miles Anderson, Philip Jones, Barry Tuckwell and John Fletcher will give expression "in all freedom" to their ideas and tell us about their career. This is a programme which we have great pleasure in creating and welcome you to share in it by reading all about these artists in BRASS BULLETIN.
We wish a very Happy New Year to all and everyone as well as musical joys unlimited.
P.S. As you will have noticed, we have finished with the "General Brass Catalogue". From 1979 you will receive 4 complete numbers annually. Here, for the first time a number with text — still without the headings "Publications" and "Reviews" — by way of introduction. Thus we hope to bring our contacts nearer and keep ourselves more in touch with events.