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Fantaisie Originale for Euphonium and Brass Band Ermanno Picchi / Simone Mantia arranged by Margaret Antrobus   Simone Mantia (1873-1951) was born in Palermo, Italy. He emigrated to New York with his family in 1881. Mantia was given instruction on euphonium from the age of twelve and was hired as a trombonist at the Brooklyn Opera in 1894. In 1898 he joined Sousa’s Band, and later performed with both the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. He was best known for his astonishing virtuosity and many solo phonograph recordings. Mantia recorded Fantaisie Originale several times, always using his double-bell euphonium. There are several sources suggesting that Italian Ermanno Picchi (1811-1856) actually composed this piece. However, this is not very likely, given the fact that he died as early as in 1856. And considering the virtuosities required for this piece, you probably wouldn’t find performers capable of mastering those challenges on a brass instrument at this early stage. On the other hand, Picchi is probably very responsible for the thematic material in Fantaisie Originale, which then Mantia has woven his extreme variations around. Simone Mantia also scored the work for wind band accompaniment. It is basically this version, with a few 21st century liberties and some of my own personal cadenzas added, that Margaret Antrobus adapted for brass band. Antrobus, daughter of conductor Michael, is herself a great euphonium and baritone player, who currently plays solo euphonium with Sandefjord Brass Symposium from Norway. She studied at the Salford University, UK and played solo baritone with the famous Yorkshire Building Society Band under David King for several years. The piece is recorded on Norwegian Euphonium accompanied by the Eikanger-Bjørsvik band. -Tormod Flaten