BRASS QUINTET

Duracell Miniatures

DESCRIPTION

A few simple pitches have the power to make a piece of music memorable. Beethoven knew it when he wrote the four pitch opening of his fifth symphony. A five pitch theme, penned by John Williams, helped the movie Close Encounters of a Third Kind become a box office hit. Countless composers have used a mere handful of notes to create simple motifs that you immediately recognize and associate with a work (and often can’t get out of your head!). Advertisers too, understand that a jingle needs a “hook” to be commercially successful.

Considering that there are a limited number of pitches in the musical scale, composers have had to recycle notes as long as there has been music on earth. After all, how many unique combinations can one make from a few pitches? Exactly 469- using three unique pitches, if you really want to know.

This four-movement piece for brass quintet explores the three pitches that form the “hook” of a well-known battery commercial. It’s the one that goes bing-bong-BING! Total playing time of all movements: I. Dance; II. Song; III. Lament; and, IV. Finale is about 10 minutes.

DIFFICULTY

Medium Advanced. Trumpet 1 goes up to C6 (written). The tuba part can be played on bass trombone (ossia octaves are designated in the part). Several of the movements contain compound and mixed meters.

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BRASS QUINTET

Skipper’s Dream

DESCRIPTION

Skipper’s Dream takes you on a three hour tour that is challenging and musically satisfying for the players and a favorite for all audiences. Inspired by one of the great sit-coms from back in the day, this piece is full of bravado, sensitivity, ebb and flow, and Sturm und Drang.  With a couple sea chanties and nautical themes thrown into the mix, you’ll definitely have a memorable three hour tour (actually about 11 minutes) . Oh, let’s not forget the hidden Morse code messages in the muted trumpets either. 

Skipper’s Dream is in 4 movements. (I) A fateful trip. (II) Setting sail on a three hour tour. (III) A mighty sailing man. (IV) An uncharted desert isle. The final movement has an optional coda which makes it a good, stand alone piece that is just under 4 minutes. The total time of all movements is approximately 11 minutes.

DIFFICULTY

Medium Advanced. Trumpet 1 goes up to C6 (written). The tuba part can be played on bass trombone (ossia octaves are designated in the part). Several of the movements contain compound and mixed meters.

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JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Jazzige Nacht

DESCRIPTION

Would you consider Stille Nacht (Silent Night) to be a little bit of a walk on the wild side if you heard it played as a medium funk/rock tune? That is exactly what you get with this chart. Written for standard jazz band instrumentation, Jazzige Nacht let’s your rhythm section shine while giving the saxophones and brass their moments to add to the funk! Also included is a section for tenor sax and trumpet solos. The piece concludes with a shout chorus…pretty wild for this traditional carol, eh?

DIFFICULTY

Medium Advanced. There is an optional D6 (written) in the Trumpet 1 part. The bass part could be a sight-reading challenge for even the stronger high school player but definitely in reach (with a little woodshedding) of a good musician that is motivated to be funky.

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BRASS ENSEMBLE

Silent Night

DESCRIPTION

Scored for 8 brass: 4 trumpets, horn, 2 tenor trombones and tuba or bass trombone with several substitute parts for the horn (flugel horn, alto and tenor trombone). This short carol can be performed by a range of band, orchestral or jazz ensemble brass sections or an with an augmented brass quintet. I hope you will find it so beautiful that you won’t realize that it is written in four rather than the traditional time signature that is in three.

DIFFICULTY

Medium Easy although the horn part goes up to A5 (written). 

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