The Southern Cross for Brass Quintet

SKU: CY.CC2845

Cornet solos are an important part of the American Brass tradition. The Southern Cross is one of Clarke's most well known Cornet solos and was written in 1911, dedicated to the Australians and first recorded by the composer with Orchestra the next year for Victor Records.
During 1911, Clarke was the solo Cornetist of the Sousa Band while the band was on a world tour that included visits to South Africa, Tazmania and Australia from March through to August.
Below is a photo of the Sousa band from their 1911 tour. Clarke is sitting in the front row 5th in from the right with his moustache and his Cornet on his lap. He assuredly composed this solo to perform on that tour. The Southern Cross is a constellation that is only seen from the southern hemisphere and features the five stars of the Cross from the 1901 design of the Australian flag.

This 5-minute virtuosic arrangement by Geoffrey Bergler features not only the Cornet, but a bit of all the other four members of the Brass Quintet.
Instrumentation is for:
2 Trumpets in B-flat (Trumpet 1 solo, Trumpet 2 also plays Piccolo)
Horn,
Trombone
Tuba/Bass Trombone
The sound track below features Mr. Bergler from his student days as Cornet soloist