Orchestre Symphonique du Pays Basque : Choeur & Cuivres, Echos sacrés

Brass instruments have been part of sacred repertoire since the Baroque era. Over the centuries, the genius of great composers such as Giovanni Gabrieli in Italy and Henry Purcell in England has given brass ensembles a new place alongside choirs. Anxious to take full advantage of the volume of the choir, they created chordal interplay and relief effects known as chori spezzatti (separated choirs). Bruckner's work, influenced by Renaissance and Baroque music, integrates brass instruments to sublimate vocal nuances. Or, more recently, in John Rutter?s Gloria, where the influence of Greek chant can be heard alongside that of Poulenc and Stravinsky.