Mark Gresham | 12 NOV 2020
Episode 2 of Earpiece, a new weekly series of audio and video presentations curated by EarRelevant’s publisher and principal writer Mark Gresham.
This week’s episode features Andrew Brady, principal bassoon of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, who makes his ASO subscription series solo debut this week, performing the Bassoon Concerto in A minor by Johann Wilhelm Hertel (1727–1789).
As a musical appetizer in advance of that virtual concert, we’ve compiled some YouTube videos that feature Brady performing outside of the orchestral arena in which he is usually seen. Most interesting is that none of these are in their original versions, but are performed with instrumentation that is different from the original.
Brady’s bassoon substitutes for cello in both Antonio Vivaldi’s Cello Sonata in B♭ major, performed with pianist Inyoung Huh and fellow bassoonist Ivy Ringel, and Haydn’s London Trio No. 3, which was originally for two flutes and cello, is played as a wind trio with flutist Christina Smith and oboist Elizabeth Koch Tiscione – both ASO principals like Brady.
In between are a couple of short Zoom-produced videos in which Brady performs all of the parts, which are then edited together: a sprightly Badinerie by J.S. Bach in which he plays not only bassoon but four recorders (block flutes) as well, in celebration of Bach’s birthday. Since the composer shares that birthday with vocalist Chaka Khan, Brady says he “threw a little bit of her funk into it too.” And if that’s not enough demonstration of multi-faceted abilities, in a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Village Ghetto Land” Brady sings, playing a quartet of bassoon parts as his own accompaniment.
Andrew Brady – principal bassoon, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
I. Largo
II. Allegro
III. Largo
IV. Allegro
I. Spritoso
II. Andante
III. Allegro
More about Andrew Brady: ASO Biography
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