Imperial Fanfares

If you've ever wanted to test your tolerance of the art of fanfaring, this is the disc for you. The Art of Trumpet Ensemble from Vienna squeeze 76 fanfare or fanfare-like pieces into 68 minutes, and broaden the choice of music from the "Imperial Fanfares" of the title to include recent pieces, even a three-minute elegiac contribution written by Leon Bolten on September 11th, 2001. There may not be an incredible amount you can do with fanfares, though drums (which are of course used in some of the pieces here) add significantly to the possibilities. Lully, Salieri, Biber and Charpentier are the best known names to feature in a finely-performed collection that will amply reward anyone curious about the nature and scope of an art that remains an integral part of modern ceremonial. (www.naxos.com Irland 2007)