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Coventry Carol – Brass Quintet
Coventry Carol is an English carol written in the 16th century. The earliest known manuscript was from 1534. In those times there were local pageants, called “mystery plays,” in which the common folk performed dramatized stories from the Bible. This carol was part of the Pageant of the Shearmen and Taylors held in Coventry. It is the emotional climax of this long play and its plaintive melody is most effective.
This poignant carol is known for the use of the Picardy third, which adds a major chord at the cadence in a piece that is minor or modal.
Excerpt recorded by the Sine Nomine Brass Quintet.
Composer: Anne McGinty
Instrumentation: 2 Bb Trumpets, F Horn, Trombone & Tuba
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 2:10 / 11 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: G min -
Dark Sky – Brass Trio
Dark Sky is a challenging piece for brass trio (trumpet, horn, and tuba), featuring angular leaps and arpeggios set in several different styles. The highly rhythmic and punctuated sections of the piece are set in relief by the soaring cantabile theme heard in the trumpet on several occasions.
The full-version mp3 is free, performed by Denali Brass. Used with permission.
Composer: Scott Ninmer
Instrumentation: Trumpet, Horn, Tuba
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 3:30 / 19 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: N/A -
Die himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes (Schütz) – Brass Quintet
Heinrich Schütz (1585 – 1672) was a Renaissance composer and is generally considered the most important German composer prior to Johann Sebastian Bach. His compositions show the influence of his teacher, Gabrieli.
One of the last composers to write in modal style, the text for this piece is from Psalm 19. The title translates to: The heavens are telling the glory of God.
Originally written for six voices, the piece is ideal for brass quintet and will sound glorious in a church or recital setting.
Thanks to the Vista Brass Quintet for sending a recording of this piece.
The Vista Brass Quintet features Emily Lawyer and Tim Winfield – trumpet, Anne Marie Cherry – horn, Charles Lilly – trombone and Todd Eames – bass trombone.
Composer: Anne McGinty
Instrumentation: 2 Trumpets, Horn, Trombone & Tuba
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 3:45 / 23 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: N/A -
Dixie – Brass Band
The arrangements in Bill Reichenbach's American Brass Band Series were written to showcase the brass band. These familiar tunes are all great audience pleasers and will be a welcome addition to your next concert.
Bill and his band, playing on restored instruments from the 1870s, performed these charts at the Great American Brass Band Festival, Custer's Little Big Horn re-enactment and brass benefit concerts to name a few.
Each arrangement has the parts numbered from the top down on both the score and the individual parts. For example, numbers 8 and 9 have parts for both trombone bass clef as well as transposing treble clef parts for tenor horns. All the optional versions of the same part have the same number, making it simple to have all the parts covered by making sure that you have someone playing all the numbers. Print all the parts or print only those you need.
This exciting version of Dixie has the following parts included:
1 – Bb Piccolo Trumpet
2 – Eb Cornet/Trumpet 1
3 – Eb Cornet/Trumpet 2
4 – Bb Cornet/Trumpet 1
5 – Bb Cornet/Trumpet 2
6 – F Horn 1
6 – Eb Horn 1
7 – F Horn 2
7 – Eb Horn 2
8 – Trombone/Tenor Horn 1 (BC)
8 – Trombone/Tenor Horn 1 (TC)
9 – Trombone/Tenor Horn 2 (BC)
9 – Trombone/Tenor Horn 2 (TC)
10 – Tuba (BC)
10 – Eb Tuba (TC)
10 – Bb Tuba (TC)
11 – Percussion 1 (Snare Drum, Triangle)
12 – Percussion 2 (Bass Drum, Crash Cymbals)Upstate Brass Band (all Eastman School of Music students) with Kevin Michael Holzman, conductor, recorded this piece. The full version is downloadable and available at no charge.
It's also available on YouTube.
Composer: Bill Reichenbach
Instrumentation: See above
Duration/# of Pages: ca. 1:40 / 31 pages, 8.5″ x 11″
Key: Bb – Eb
