Brilliant Fantasy by J.B.Arban /Tom Hutchinson & Brass Band "Aukštyn"

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"Brilliant Fantasy" by Jean-Baptiste Arban (1825-1889) for cornet and brass band, arrangement by Kazys Daugėla.
Soloist Tom Hutchinson (Cory Band principal solo cornetist) from Wales, guest conductor Steven Legge from England. Lithuanian Brass Band "Aukštyn" (Up) from Panevėžys district, conductor Remigijus Vilys.
Video recording from the concert "Brilliant Fantasy"at the Art Gallery of Panevėžys city - 22 February 2015 - World premiere.

Joseph Jean-Baptiste Laurent Arban was a cornetist, conductor, composer, pedagogue and the first famed virtuoso of the cornet à piston or valved cornet. Arban was born in Lyon, France on February 28, 1825. He died in Paris, France, on April 8, 1889.
Joseph Arban studied trumpet with Francois Dauverné at the Paris Conservatoire from 1841 to 1845. He was appointed professor of saxhorn at the École Militaire in 1857, and became professor of cornet at the Paris Conservatoire in 1869. He published his Grande méthode complète pour cornet à pistons et de saxhorn in Paris in 1864. This method, which is often referred to as "the Arban" and some even call it the "trumpet bible", is still studied by modern brass players.

Arban and Sax would maintain a long working relationship that would later result in his Cornet-Arban. It was also during this time that he began conducting salon and opera orchestras and composed various pieces for the cornet based on operatic and popular themes. From the summer of 1874 to the autumn of 1880 he was travelling, giving concerts and conducting. Arban had four long concert tours in Russia (the summers of 1873 - 1876). In St. Petersburg a special building was constructed for him. It was situated in a garden called "Garden of the Arban Concerts". He had success by composing and performing a march called Chernyaev March, dedicated to a Russian general.

He was influenced by Niccolò Paganini's virtuosic technique on the violin and successfully proved that the cornet was a true solo instrument by developing virtuoso technique on the instrument. His variations on The Carnival of Venice remains one of the great showpieces for cornet soloists today. "Fantasie Brilliante" also continues to be frequently performed and recorded.

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