Press
Palos Verdes Daily Breeze, Sat., May 4, 1985 (Headline – ‘Sierra Journal’ Musical breath of fresh air)
“Depressed as I usually am by the uninspired repetition of all those currently faddish minimalist composers, Anthony Plog’s thoughtfully conceived and well-crafted “Sierra Journal” comes as a breath of fresh mountain air. How gratifying it is to find a contemporary composer with a meaningful concept and with the solid technical tools to create music with substance. At its conclusion, I was impressed by the clarity of Plog’s writing, its rhythmic and dynamic appeal and the overall inventiveness of his orchestration. This is obviously very original music...”
ITEA (Tuba) Journal – Fall 2001
“Most serious brass players are familiar with Tony Plog’s writing. If he has written anything that isn’t good, then he destroyed it.”
International Trumpet Guild (Jeffrey Piper)
“Even though Animal Ditties is not difficult technically, range-wise, or rhythmically, Mr. Plog has created within this piece more musical direction, form, and taste than can be found in many so-called recent major additions to the literature. I consider Animal Ditties to be a delightful work, and it should be a welcome addition to any recital repertoire.”
International Trumpet Guild (Randy Grabowski)
“It seems to transcend traditional compositional guidelines for the instrument in expressiveness and originality. While many works for the trumpet tend to be virtuoso display pieces that showcase the performer, Plog’s Concerto Number 2 goes beyond that by harnessing deep emotions rarely found in solo trumpet pieces.”
Malmo (Sweden) Arbetet – Dec. 10, 1993
“The solo part (Concerto for Oboe and Orchestra) was in every moment rewarding, not so much because of its brilliancy as of its meaningfulness, and the big orchestra was used sparingly with a sure feeling for the character of each instrument……..The music was full of moods and the ideas gleamed with lightness and as accurate formulation.”
Deseret News (William Goodfellow). About the Trumpet Concerto Number 2
“In four movements, it is a work of near-symphonic dimensions, with almost as much virtuoso writing for the orchestra as for the soloist.”
America Record Guide
“In Anthony Plog’s Mosaics (1997), the trumpeters play flugelhorns in three of the four movements, resulting in a quintet sound so homogeneous that it is often difficult to tell when a line shifts from one instrument to another…….This is the most recent Plog work I have heard, and I continue to be impressed by his development as a composer.”
Salt Lake City Tribune (Jeff Manookian)
“Plog has a distinctive and sparkling compositional voice. His brand-new opus (Trumpet Concerto Number 2) could very possibly enter the repertoire of concert trumpeters and symphony orchestras alike.”
Evansville Courrier Press (September 13, 2009)
“The evening started with the newly commissioned piece by Anthony Plog, “Fuocoso.” The title means “fiery”, and this piece is certainly that. I’m a bit unsure how to characterize it, except that it is fast, brilliant and thoroughly engaging. Plog, a renowned trumpet player and teacher, clearly knows and loves every sound an orchestra can make and pulls out the stops in “Fuocoso.” I heard sounds that I could not have recognized without watching to see who was playing. This is a piece I would like to hear again (Note to Maestro Savia—encore)
The Salt Lake Tribune (Catherine Newton) Oct. 26, 2002
“Anthony Plog’s Concerto for Two Trumpets, Strings, Harpsichord and Percussion was an instant hit with the near-capacity crowd…….The interplay between the soloists was delight, and the orchestration was just as enjoyable.”
Deseret News (Salt Lake City) (Edward Reichel), October 25, 2002
“Plog’s new work (Double Concerto for Two Trumpets and Chamber and Orchestra), scored for two trumpets, strings, percussion and harpsichord is completely unlike his earlier solo concerto. Musically and structurally it’s a delightful and obviously deliberate throwback to the baroque concerto form. Yet at the same time, it’s much more substantial and varied.”