Review

Charles Reskin
Summer Dances: a ballet for brass quintet:

Vuarmarens, , Switzerland
Publisher: Editions Bim
Date of Publication: 1999 / 2012
URL: http://www.editions-bim.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

Summer Dances is a new, four movement, major work for brass quintet. The composer, Charles Reskin, has enjoyed a 50+ year career as a performer, educator, and composer. As a composer he is best known for his Sonata for Trumpet and Piano and his sets of etudes for trumpet titled Trumpet Outings. More information on the composer can be found at his website www.reskinmusic.com.
 
Summer Dances is an expansive and challenging work of over 18 minutes in length. The work is divided into four movements, Palean, Valse, Nocturne, and Villanelle, each with a distinct and unique character. Despite the length of the work, the individual parts are both playable and interesting. Reskin does a nice job of passing around melodic motives to all instruments and providing technical challenges for each. For its complexity, the work is surprisingly easy to put together from an ensemble standpoint. The dynamic markings outline the relative importance of each motive and if followed closely, balance is not an issue. The parts are idiomatic and interesting with a great balance between challenging sections and useful rest for each instrument. Harmonically, the work is quite interesting. Of particular interest is the second movement, Valse, that reminds of the Collier Jones work Four Movements for Five Brass. Reskin writes each movement with a C major key signature and uses accidentals to outline the tonality. Tonality shifts often but never too abruptly. Parts are clearly and specifically marked without being overbearing. Each marking is useful in creating the specific effect for the movement. I highly recommend this work. It is a finely crafted composition that is a wonderful addition to the brass quintet literature. For a professional quintet, or an advanced undergraduate group, it is a worthy challenge and a perfect piece for recital performance.

-Thomas Zugger
Capitol University