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The following is issued on behalf of the Provisional Urban Council:

Renowned Berlin Philharmonic Brass Ensemble will delight music lovers with its debut at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall on July 7 (Tuesday).

The Brass Ensemble is one of the oldest chamber groups in the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. It was established as an octet of four trumpets and four trombones with repertoire comes from the Renaissance and Baroque periods (the double voicing of the Venetian school). It has now become a group with five trumpets, five trombones and one tuba as well as a French horn whose composition features all the major brass sections.

In addition to the "German" style of traditional models used in the orchestra, the Ensemble also incorporate various instruments to broaden their range of repertoire from the Renaissance to modern and extending to semi-classical and light music. The classical repertoire by the Ensemble is representative of brass music as a genre over the past 40 years.

The programme will include "Fanfare for a new Theatre", "Canzona in the Ninth Tone a 12", "Glory be to the Father", "Two Choral Preludes", "Cornett Piece", "Sonata for otto Ottoni", "Rondo by Blech", "Pavaner for a Dead Princess" and "Suite from Carmen".

In writing "Rondo by Blech", composer Siebert was inspired by the architecture of the Chamber Music Hall which styled like a vineyard, with a stage in the middle of a pentagonal auditorium and surrounded by 1,200 seats. Siebert took account of the venue's panoramic structure and adopted the musical form of ancient dances as the corresponding backdrop.

Tickets at $300, $220, $160 and $100 are now available at all URBTIX outlets with half-price concession for senior citizens, people with disabilities and full-time students.

For reservations, please call 2734 9009 and programme enquiries: 2734 2930.

End/Thursday, July 2, 1998

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