Notes and Editorial Reviews
Five wholesomely photogenic young siblings with the goal of making classical music "cool" for a generation weaned on commercial pop? It would seem a marketing ploy for the latest crossover act, if not for the fact that each of the 5 Browns is an immensely talented, Julliard-trained pianist. The Brown brothers and sisters began playing piano at the age of three in preparation for individual musical careers, but performing together in a team piano competition in 1995 made them aware of the enormous opportunities that lay ahead. Their abilities also caught the attention of veteran multi-platinum producer Joel Diamond, who took the youngsters under his wing.
The Browns waste no time in presenting their bona fides, opening with an
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exhilarating version of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumble Bee" and moving confidently through well played arrangements of a medley from Bernstein's 'West Side Story' and Dukas's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." Desirae and Deondra offer a vibrant reading of Ravel's "La Valse," while Melody, Ryan, and Gregory present fine solo accounts of works by Rachmaninoff, Debussy, and Prokofiev, among others. The Browns make no secret of their aim to appeal to a demographic not generally associated with classical music, but their straightforward approach is a welcome relief from the gimmickry that's too often connected with crossover. Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Tale of Tsar Saltan: Suite, Op. 57 - Flight of the bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Performer:
Desirae Brown (Piano),
Gregory Brown (Piano),
Ryan Brown (Piano),
Melody Brown (Piano),
Deondra Brown (Piano)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
The 5 Browns
Period: Romantic
Written: 1903; Russia
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 1 Minutes 24 Secs.
Notes: Arranger: Jeffrey Shumway.
2.
West Side Story: Scenes by Leonard Bernstein
Performer:
Desirae Brown (Piano),
Gregory Brown (Piano),
Ryan Brown (Piano),
Melody Brown (Piano),
Deondra Brown (Piano)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
The 5 Browns
Period: 20th Century
Written: USA
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 7 Minutes 4 Secs.
Notes: Arranger: Kendall Durelle Briggs.
This work is an arrangement for piano ensemble by Kendall Durelle Briggs.
3.
L'apprenti sorcier by Paul Dukas
Performer:
Desirae Brown (Piano),
Gregory Brown (Piano),
Ryan Brown (Piano),
Melody Brown (Piano),
Deondra Brown (Piano)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
The 5 Browns
Period: Romantic
Written: 1897; France
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 8 Minutes 38 Secs.
Notes: Arranger: Jeffrey Shumway.
4.
La valse by Maurice Ravel
Performer:
Desirae Brown (Piano),
Deondra Brown (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1920; France
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 11 Minutes 26 Secs.
Notes: Composer: Maurice Ravel.
5.
Tabatiere a musique by Ignaz Friedman
Performer:
Melody Brown (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 46 Secs.
6.
Moments musicaux (6), Op. 16: no 4, Presto by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Ryan Brown (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1896; Russia
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 56 Secs.
7.
Morceaux de fantaisies (5), Op. 3: no 1, Elégie in E flat minor by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Gregory Brown (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1892; Russia
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 6 Minutes 3 Secs.
8.
L'isle joyeuse by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Melody Brown (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1904; France
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 5 Minutes 31 Secs.
9.
Sonata for Piano no 1 in D minor, Op. 28 by Sergei Rachmaninov
Performer:
Ryan Brown (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1907; Russia
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 7 Minutes 21 Secs.
10.
Toccata for Piano, Op. 155 by York Bowen
Performer:
Gregory Brown (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1957; England
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 4 Minutes 16 Secs.
11.
Peer Gynt, Op. 23: no 7, In the hall of the mountain king by Edvard Grieg
Performer:
Desirae Brown (Piano),
Gregory Brown (Piano),
Ryan Brown (Piano),
Melody Brown (Piano),
Deondra Brown (Piano)
Orchestra/Ensemble:
The 5 Browns
Period: Romantic
Written: 1875/1892; Norway
Date of Recording: 08/2004
Venue: Right Track Studio 509, New York City
Length: 2 Minutes 25 Secs.
Notes: Arranger: Jeffrey Shumway.
Sound Samples
Scenes from "West Side Story"
La Valse (poème chorégraphique)
Allegretto gioviale, No. 3
Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 28
In the Hall of the Mountain King
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