CRYSTAL RECORDS  Roger Bobo, Tuba Recordings

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            Roger Bobo, a legendary tuba virtuoso, was born in 1938 in Los Angeles, where he started his tuba studies at the age of 12, later going to study at the Eastman School of Music. He was simultaneously appointed tubist with the Rochester Philharmonic, a post he maintained for six years until his graduation from Eastman with B.M. and M.M. degrees. In 1961 Bobo played the first-ever tuba recital at New York’s Carnegie Recital Hall to critical acclaim, firmly establishing the tuba as a solo instrument in its own right.
            In 1962 Bobo joined the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. In 1964 he returned to the U.S. to assume the position of tubist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, a position he held for 25 years. A founding member of the Los Angeles Brass Quintet, Bobo toured and recorded extensively with that ensemble.
            In 1990 he moved to Italy where he taught at the Fiesole Scuola di Musica. He also taught at the Lausanne Conservatory in Switzerland and at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England. He then moved to Japan where he taught at the Musashino School of Music in Tokyo. He  now lives and teaches in Mexico.

 

CD125: BOBISSIMO. Roger Bobo, Tuba. Hindemith: Tuba Sonata; Galliard, Sonata No. 5; Barat: Introduction and Dance; William Kraft: Encounters II; Wilder: Effie the Elephant and Tuba Encore Piece; Lazarof: Cadence VI for Tuba and Tape; Robert Spillman: Two Songs. With Ralph Grierson, piano. Bobo was tuba with Los Angeles Philharmonic for 25 years. "The Heifetz of the Tuba. Astonishing performance" Stereo Review. UPC 009414712523    BUY NOW

 

CD125 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
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Galliard Sonata:  Mvt 1(Adagio)   Mvt 2(Allegro)   Mvt 3(Alla Siciliano)  Mvt 4(Allegro)    Barat: Intro. and Dance    Hindemith Sonata:  Mvt 1(Allegro)   Mvt 2(Allegro)   Mvt 3(Variationen)    Wilder Children's Suite:  Effie Takes a Dancing Lesson   Effie Falls in Love   Effie Goes Folk Dancing   Effie Chases a Monkey   Effie Sings a Lullaby   Effie Joins a Carnival    Kraft:Encounters II    Spillman Two Songs:  Mvt 1 Andante(Andante)   Mvt 2(Allegro)    Lazarof: Cadence VI    Wilder: Tuba Encore

CD396: GRAVITY IS LIGHT TODAY. Roger Bobo, Tuba and Bass Horn, with Frøydis Ree Wekre, Horn, Roger Kellaway, Piano, and Jazz Ensemble.  Roger Kellaway: The Morning Song, The Westwood Song, Sonoro, Dance of the Ocean Breeze; Fred Tackett: The Yellow Bird. With Fred Tackett, Guitar; Ralph Grierson, Piano; Skip Mosher, Bass; Ray Rich, Drums. This recording shows what jazz tuba can do. UPC 009414739629 BUY NOW

Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear approximately one minute of the movement shown. 
Morning Song    Westwood Song    Yellow Bird    Sonoro    Dance of the Ocean Breeze

 

CD398: RAINBO-BO; The Man With the Golden Tuba, Roger Bobo.  J.S. Bach: Air from Suite No. 3 (Air on the G string); Franz Schubert: Ständchen (Serenade); Meyer Kupferman: Saturnalis; Morton Subotnick: The First Dream of Light; Thomas Stevens: Encore Bōz. UPC 009414739827   BUY NOW

Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear up to one minute of the movement shown.
Bach: Air    Schubert: Ständchen    Kupferman: Saturnalis    Subotnick: The First Dream of Light    Stevens: Encore: Boz

 

CD690: ROGER BOBO, TUBA LIBERA.  John Stevens: The Liberation of Sisyphus; Tom Stevens: Variations in Olden Style; Shostakovich: Adagio from "The Limpid Stream"; Anthony Plog: 3 Miniatures (tuba & Piano); Krzysztof Penderecki: Capriccio (solo tuba); Trygve Madsen: Sonata (tuba,piano); Ionel Dumitru: Romanien Dance No. 2; Arban: Carnival of Venice. Bobo was for 25 years tuba with the Los Angeles Phil. "...great tuba recording by legendary virtuoso Roger Bobo. Remarkably musical & technically amazing." In-Tune UPC 009414769022 BUY NOW

Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear approximately one minute of the movement shown. 
J. Stevens: Sisyphus   T. Stevens: Variations  Shostakovich: Adagio   Plog Miniatures: Mvt 1(Allegro)  Mvt 2(Freely)  Mvt 3(Allegro)   Penderecki: Capriccio   Madsen Sonata:  Mvt 1(Andante)  Mvt 2(Allegro)  Mvt 3(Allegro)  Dumitru: Romanien Dance   Arban: Carnival of Venice

 

CD667: THOMAS STEVENS, TRUMPET. Verne Reynolds: Signals (solo trumpet & tuba with brass; Roger Bobo, tuba); William Kraft: Encounters III (trumpet, percussion); Chou Wen-chung: Soliloquy of a Bhiksuni (solo trumpet, brass, perc.); Robert Henderson: Variation Movements (trumpet solo); Silvestre Revueltas: Two Little Serious Pieces (trumpet & woodwinds: Westwood Wind Quintet); Frank Campo: Times (trumpet solo); Meyer Kupferman: Fires of Prometheus (trumpet & piano). Stevens is solo trumpet with Los Angeles Philharmonic. "...excellent pieces - performances entertaining to incredible - without a doubt, one of the world's finest brass players." American Record Guide  UPC 009414766724 BUY NOW

 

Sound samples (uses RealPlayer) Click on the link to hear approximately one minute of the movement shown. 
Reynolds:  Signals    Kraft Encounters:  Mvt 1 (Strategy)   Mvt 2 (Truce of God)   Mvt 3 (Tactics)   Wen-Chung: Soliloquy   Henderson: Variation Movements  Theme  Very Fast  Slow  Fast and Rhythmic   Revueltas: Two Little Serious Pieces  Allegro  Tempo di Valse   Campo: Good Times  Time to Go   Kupferman: Fires of Prometheus

 

Also see the Los Angeles Brass Quintet CD102 and CD109:

An LP classic is reborn as a spectacular CD.
“Crystal is the go-to place for wind and brass chamber repertoire”,  says Gramophone

CD102: When the first LP of the Los Angeles Brass Quintet was released in 1967 it set high standards to which other quintets could strive. This recording introduced fabulous trumpeter Thomas Stevens and tuba player Roger Bobo to the world, along with Miles Anderson on trombone, Mario Guarneri on trumpet, and Ralph Pyle on horn. Now on Compact Disc with additional pieces from the LABQ’s 2nd LP, the playing still proves to be some of the best brass playing anywhere.  

This CD, CD102,  features Paganini Three Caprices, Bartok Suite from For Children, Wilder Brass Quintet No. 1, Hindemith Morgenmusik, Schmidt Variations on a Negro Folk Song, Cheetham Scherzo, and pieces by J.S. Bach, and Pezel. UPC 009414710222  BUY NOW    

“Brass quintet playing at a near peerless level can be heard on this CD release of LP recordings from 1967 and 1968 by the Los Angeles Brass Quintet…Despite the passing of decades, the Los Angeles Brass Quintet recordings still present an exceptional level of performance.”  International Trombone Association Journal (Greg Spiridopoulos)

The players were all members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the time this recording was made. Formed in 1966, the LABQ toured the U.S. and Europe, playing its last concert in 1975, At the time they retired from the orchestra, Thomas Stevens had been principal trumpet for 25 years; Roger Bobo tubist for 25 years. All of the players had long tenures with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and continued after retirement from the orchestra to perform and teach throughout the world.

Stevens and Bobo have four solo CDs each on Crystal Records. They are considered some of the finest solo brass recordings ever made.

 

CD102 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
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Pezel: Five Dances  I. Intrade   II. Sarabande   III. Bal   IV. Sarabande   V. Gigue    Paganini: Three Caprices  I. Moderato   II. Sostenuto, Andante   III. Theme and Variations    Bartók: Suite from “For Children”  I. Children at Play   II. Children’s Song   III. Play   IV. Children’s Game   V. Study for the Left Hand   VI. Quasi Adagio   VII. Allegro Robusto    Wilder: Brass Quintet  I. Trumpet Prelude   II. Horn Elegy   III. Tuba Showpiece   IV. Trombone Lyric   V. Toccata   VI. Finale    Hindemith: Morgenmusik  I. Massig Bewegt   II. Langsame Viertel   III. Bewegt    Bach: Fantasie in C Major   Air pour les Trompettes   Prelude & Fugue in E Minor    Schmidt: Variations of a Negro Folk Song  I. Theme   II. Fanfare   III. Ostinato   IV. Chorale   V. March   VI. Fugato    Cheetham: Scherzo

 

BONUS: To have a little joy to help alleviate CoronaVirus anxiety, hear the entire Intrade from Pezel’s Five Dances, performed by the Los Angeles Brass Quintet: Thomas Stevens and Mario Guarneri, trumpets; Ralph Pyle, horn; Miles Anderson, trombone; and Roger Bobo, tuba. Los Angeles Brass Quintet  Pezel Five Pieces  Intrade

 

Another LP classic on CD from the Los Angeles Brass Quintet, now with the Los Angeles Percussion Ensemble; Stanley Chaloupka, Harp; and Sharon Davis, Piano.
CD109: The third LP from the Los Angeles Brass Quintet, released in 1974, also garnered attention for its spectacular playing and exciting repertoire. Now on CD109, the playing and recording quality are still among the best. Brass performers, same as on the first LABQ LP and CD, are fabulous trumpeter Thomas Stevens and tuba player Roger Bobo, along with Miles Anderson on trombone, Mario Guarneri on trumpet, and Ralph Pyle on horn. The Los Angeles Percussion Ensemble, the brass players, and Stanley Chaloupka, harpist, were all members of the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the time this recording was made. Sharon Davis is a famous recording artist and touring pianist.

CD109. William Kraft, Nonet for Brass Quintet and Percussion; Frank Campo, Madrigals for Brass Quintet; Rayner Brown, Concertino for Harp and Brass Quintet; William Schmidt, Concertino for Piano and Brass Quintet.  UPC 009414710925  BUY NOW    

These works were all written for the Los Angeles Brass Quintet. The Kraft Nonet is unique in its instrumentation and its 22 minutes are an exciting listening experience. Rayner Brown was Dean and State Chairman of the American Guild of Organists. He wrote a wonderfully listenable piece for this recording. William Schmidt is well known for his hundreds of works for brass and woodwinds, which are staples in the repertoire for concerts throughout the world. Frank Campo was a Professor at California State University Northridge for 25 years, and his many works are performed regularly.

CD109 Sound samples (mp3 files) Click on the link to hear up to 35 seconds of the movement shown.
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Kraft: Nonet for Brass Quintet  I. Presto   II. Andante   III. Interlude 1 – Scherzo a Tre   IV. Allegretto; quasi Scherzando   V. Interlude 2 –Scherzo a Quatro   VI. Maestoso e Rubato     Campo: Madrigals  I. Indifference   II. Unrequited Love   III. Aria Perduta     Brown: Concertino for Harp and Brass Quintet  I. Allegretto   II. Adagio   III. Allegro con brio   IV. Adagio   V. Allegretto     Schmidt: Concertino for Piano and Brass Quintet  I. Allegro con Brio   II. Largo   III. Allegro con Spirito

 

 

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