Another Opening

Fritz Neuböck sees as a great danger for the progress in the field of brass music a "blinkered thinking" which is widespread in many places and which is not able to detach itself from "dusty structures". He himself formulates his concern as follows: "Preserving tradition does not mean guarding the ashes, but carrying on the fire.

In "Another Opening" Neuböck uses entertaining dance-rhythmic means as we know them for example from Klaus-Peter Bruchmann. The orchestra is an excellent source of musical ideas. Inventiveness, compositional technique and orchestration are skilful and convincing.

The work is funny and lively; it could also be described as a concertante scherzo. At the beginning there is an opening prelude in which the thematic material is presented and impressively processed on the basis of an upward leading five-tone sequence. The following songlike part gets an additional drive by syncopated throw-ins of the accompanying instruments. A reminder of the entrance scherzos leads to the actual cantabile part of the work. Beautiful solos in wood, but above all a wonderful alto sax solo give this passage of the piece a somewhat dreamy character, which is soon increased into a sublime sound extension. In another Scherzando, the various instruments are brought together for a cheerful musical discussion before the work comes to an exhilarating and furious end.

"Another Opening" is technically challenging musical fun in the level of difficulty of the upper school, which fits into every concert program. Particularly noteworthy is the renunciation of seemingly "philosophical profundity" in favour of a youthful freshness and cheerfulness.