Mnozil Brass
Tickets for this Mnozil Brass concert sold out way ahead of time - clear testimony to the solid fan base the ensemble have garnered over the years. And at the end of the day, who could possibly resist such a great interpretation of their multi-genre repertoire enriched with acrobatic moves, well rehearsed gags, punchy rhythms and flawless intonation?
The situational sketches were once again dominated by Robert, Zoltán, Leonard and Thomas. And the audience certainly didn’t feel let down, coming away with a wonderful experience although it’s hard to deny that the past two performances of the ensemble (2012 and 2013) did have greater comedy and overall value.
We would struggle to find much to criticise in the actual musical delivery though the flair and wit so strong in previous performances was somewhat lacking in a number of the études. That said nobody can deny how hard it is to consistently maintain the same standard over many years – and the change of tuba player certainly contributed to this.
On a more positive note, the chorus not only offered relief to the players, but also added a certain degree of lustre to the show, earning them a well-deserved ovation at the end. My impression that a number of the sketches were weaker than in previous years is purely subjective of course, and judging by the final round of applause and positive feedback afterwards was a view quite probably not shared en masse.
Either way the group certainly still has plenty to offer and their interpretative range is truly exceptional. In addition, their commitment to the industry, seeing the group crisscross the globe for almost 25 years now, is highly commendable. We hope they hold onto their creative zeal and continue to play to concert halls full of happy and satisfied fans.
Text: Jan Hodoušek
