Back from Oblivion

01/12/2007
Paul Turok
Turok's Choice (US)

The ophicleide is an extinct brass instrument that in the later 19th century was replaced by the tuba, a more controllable instrument with a milder tone quality. Trombonist Nick Byrne (Sydney Symphony), whose hobby is playing the ophicleide, offers a disc of pleasantly varied repertory, many originally for the instrument… and several arrangements among which pride of place goes to Grieg’s Ich liebe dich, Elgar’s Romance and Handel’s O Ruddier than the Cherry. Byrne plays very musically… it is good to have a permanent sampling of an instrument that Wagner, Berlioz and Mendelssohn (among many others) included in their orchestras. David Miller is the accomplished piano accompanist.