Each year the New York Philharmonic brass players do a Christmas concert. The last couple of years they have joined with the West Point Band playing seasonal music. Listening to Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring with brass continuo is a cultural treat that ranks with hearing Va Pensiero in strong waltz mode or Under the Double Eagle with a mandolin orchestra. Actually the Bach, played by the NYP brass was very pleasurable, but once you get used to the concepts, the others have their peculiar charms too.
Back to the concert--it was loud, it was brassy, it was jazzy, it was corny, and the audience liked it.. For my taste, however, it was too loud and lacked nuance--brass can be played with nuance even though that is not what first comes to mind.
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