Gunther Schuller, Five Moods for Tuba Quartet; George Heussenstamm, Tubafour; Henry Purcell, Allegro and Air; Walter Ross, Fancy Dances for Three Bass Tubas; John Stevens, Music 4 Tubas; Charlie Parker, Au Privave.

The New York Tuba Quartet was a relatively new ensemble in 1976, when this recording was made. The quartet were all good friends in the New York metropolitan area and got together in the Fall of 1973 to read through music for their own enjoyment. They performed throughout the New York area, participated in brass conferences and symposiums and attracted considerable attention from composers, educators and arrangers. Toby Hanks, Stephen Johns, Herbert Price and Sam Palafian make up the quartet.

The New York Brass Quintet were organized in 1954 and have concertized regularly for nearly 40 years throughout the world. They are widely considered to have been the group that led to the brass quintet being accepted as a serious chamber ensemble. Robert Nagel, trumpet; Allan Dean, trumpet; Paul Ingraham, horn; John Swallow, trombone; Toby Hanks, tuba.

“the homogenized cream of wind ensembles.” (Chicago Tribune)