There is something powerfully appealing about an ensemble of brass players. Brilliant trumpets and trombones, mellow horns and tubas -- when they are beautifully played, the sound, the strength and the artistry of the playing is quite compelling.
But there's the rub. We often speak of the artistry of string soloists and wood-wind soloists. Brasswind soloists are a good deal more rare though, and the brass section of an orchestra is typically the last section to mature.
When I joined the Montreal Symphony, even before the first rehearsal my new colleagues approached me about forming a quintet of the principal brass players. This was a wish of my own, and there was no need for debate.