Rating: **** 4/6 Stars
STRINGS
SS: sus (f & p), marc, piz, snpz, trem, gl, random piz.
Vns: sus (f, p & mut), marc, piz, harm, col, chromatic ascending runs.
Vas: sus (f, p & mut), piz, snpz.
Vcs: sus (f, p & mut), piz, snpz, col.
Dbs: sus (f & p), piz.
Vn (M): sus, piz.
Va (M): sus, piz.
Vc (M): sus, piz.
Db (M): sus, piz.
BRASS
BrS (ie. Tbns/Tpts): sus.
BrS (Tbns/Tpts/Tub) (3 oct): sus (f & p), stc (f & p), sw, up & down rips, cluster chords.
Tpt (M): sus (f, mf & p), stc, sw, mut (2 types, f & p).
Ptp (M): sus (f & p), stc, trll <2>.
Flg (M): sus (f, mf & p), sw.
Tbn (M): sus (f & p), sw, mut <2>, mut sw, 'wah' mute.
Btbn (M): sus (f, mf & p).
Fhn (M): sus (f, mf & p), stp, sw, mut.
Tba (M): sus (f & p), stc, slp, gls, 'elephant' up & down rips.
WOODWIND (ALL M)
Pic: sus.
Flt: sus, stc (f & p).
Aflt: sus.
Ob: sus (f & p).
Ob'd: sus.
Bob: sus.
Ehn: sus (f & p).
Cla: sus (f & p).
Bcla: sus (f & p).
Bsn: sus (f & p).
Cbsn: sus (f & p).
PERCUSSION — TUNED (ALL M)
Crot, Glk, Mba, Xyl, Tmp, Tub.
PERCUSSION — UNPITCHED (ALL M)
BD, Btr, BwC, Cast, Chg, CrC, Gng, Mtr, Ratch, Slb, SD, SSt, Tamb, Tbl.
HARP
Single notes, gls: major, diminished & whole‑tone.
Comments: A useful selection from Prosonus' large orchestral archive, which omits nothing of note.
Standouts: A lovely, lyrical stereo harp for those melting Celtic moments. 'Brass Orchestra' sensibly combines trumpets and trombones in one eminently playable keyboard patch, which I would cheerfully take on stage. Though these recordings are quite old, the marcato and pizzicato strings still take a lot of beating.
Quibbles: The three‑octave unison of the 'Large Brass Ensemble' sounds quite impressive one note at a time, but swiftly turns into something resembling a church organ when played chordally!
Contact: Time & Space
£ Akai/Kurzweil CD‑ROMs £199.