PROGRAM NOTE:
“Brevity is the soul of wit,” is a phrase taken from a speech by the character Polonius in Act II of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In his speech, Polonius claims that conciseness, not verbosity, is a sign of wisdom. Similarly, humor often appears more clever when it can be expressed in a brief moment and not a drawn-out jest. Brevity is the Soul of Wit utilizes this idea by creating a flow of events based on quick, witty remarks that are passed around by members of the ensemble. When this instrumental banter reaches a boiling point, it subsides to lush legato brass passages, then returns with more vigor and drive. Brevity is the Soul of Wit was composed for the Copper Street Brass Quintet for their 2012 residency with the Schubert Club in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
