Search - The 5 Browns :: No Boundaries

Being Unconventional

Robert W. Allen | Northfield Falls, Vermont United States | 04/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Years ago, when I was still an Origami Sakka (master of paperfolding) I had two artistic rules that I followed: 1) find out what everybody else is doing in the field, and 2) do something that nobody else in the field is doing. So where some of the other technical masters were working on increasing the number of ways to fold a paper elephant, I was making paper bananas and folded masks of Woody Allen, Laurel and Hardy, and a full figure multipiece construction of Charlie Chaplin. I was even wrongfully credited with inventing a style of origami called "pictorial origami."

And what does this have to do with the Browns? Well, pianists are a dime a dozen, and the only way anyone can make it in that particularly dense artistic field is if they can come up with something different. Aside from being young and highly technically gifted, the Browns have a tendency to choose non-conventional works that best show off their unique abilities. And this album features a lot of very unconventional works: Lutoslawski's Variations on a Theme of Paganini (played by the two oldest sisters); Novacek's Full Stride Ahead Piano Rag (played by Gregory); Gargoyles (played by Melody); Ginastera's Danzas Argentinas (played by Ryan); and a superb version for five pianos of Stravinsky's Firebird. And let us not ignore Desirae and Deondra's dazzling version of Ravel's Feria which sounds more like ten pianists than two.

As with their first DVD/CD there are marvelous video clips of the Browns blasting away on their five Steinways. I was disappointed that there was no interview clip like there was on the last. Well, there's always next time."

They did it again

Nancy E. Merrill | Salt Lake City, Utah USA | 04/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These young, hip, classically trained wonders have definitely shown that their first album was only the beginning. Brilliant playing by all individually (or in duet form) and unbelievable sync-ness when armed with five pianos and 50 fingers. If you're looking for something different in the classical realm, look no further. A great introduction to classical music for the younger set."