Wanted: Short brass quintet recommendation

ttf_jalapeno · Post by **ttf_jalapeno** » Wed Sep 06, 2017 3:18 pm

Greetings people,

I would like to be recommended a brass quintet piece roughly 6-8 minutes in length

Or a movement of a piece

Any style - slow, fast, baroque, snazzy, etc

Something good university students can play.

ttf_BGuttman · Post by **ttf_BGuttman** » Wed Sep 06, 2017 5:23 pm

Ewald, Symphony for Brass Choir (Robert King Edition). Each movement is about the length you are looking for. It shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. And the players will love it. The 5th part should be a Euphonium.

There are lots more. Gotta think a little.

ttf_harrison.t.reed · Post by **ttf_harrison.t.reed** » Wed Sep 06, 2017 5:42 pm

The Mnozil Brass chart "Florentinermarsche" is written for septet, but can be played with only a BQ. It's pretty great.

How about "Killer Tango"?

ttf_paulyg · Post by **ttf_paulyg** » Wed Sep 06, 2017 6:03 pm

I'll second the Ewald. We played the 2nd and 3rd movements for a 10 minute slot. Not too difficult as long as everyone is on board with the meter changes. The second and third movements also work quite well as standalone pieces.

Bruce, I'm curious, why is the tuba part is better covered by Baritone/Euph?

ttf_jalapeno · Post by **ttf_jalapeno** » Wed Sep 06, 2017 6:15 pm

Thanks, I appreciate the response !

However, it's for a chamber class and it has to be quintet

Please , continue

ttf_BGuttman · Post by **ttf_BGuttman** » Wed Sep 06, 2017 9:09 pm

Quote from: paulyg on Sep 06, 2017, 06:03PMI'll second the Ewald. We played the 2nd and 3rd movements for a 10 minute slot. Not too difficult as long as everyone is on board with the meter changes. The second and third movements also work quite well as standalone pieces.

Bruce, I'm curious, why is the tuba part is better covered by Baritone/Euph?

My copy (from when Robert King was independent) had Euph and Tuba parts and the Euph covered all the tuba stuff (an octave up sometimes) but had more.

Back to the original topic: I like the Renwick Dance, but it's shorter than your target (but a big challenge!).

You can try the Suite from the Montragian Hills (it's much harder to read than to play).

There are a couple of Bach Prelude and Fugues that would probably meet the time requirement. The G Minor is used in a lot of horror films.

You could consider a suite of Pezel pieces. There are 55 of them and each is about a minute long. I have a score that is for 2 soprano trombones, alto trombone, tenor trombone, and bass trombone (all written in C) but there are a few of them on IMSLP arranged for conventional brass quintet.

Want an ego trip? Get the Canadian Brass arrangement of "Just a Closer Walk with Thee". (Warning: improvisational section in the key of D for you and E for your 1st Trumpet.)

One that every quintet I've ever played liked a lot (but may be just too long) is Tribute to MGM. Sometimes we cut sections out because of time constraints so you might be able to cut it back to meet your time limit.

ttf_SilverBone · Post by **ttf_SilverBone** » Thu Sep 07, 2017 12:00 am

If you can use a couple pieces to make up six minutes, I recommend nearly everything Zack Smith arranged on this page:

http://www.trumpetunes.com/publications.html

He's a very talented arranger who spreads the good parts around. I own most of the things he's done.

If you prefer classical, you've had some good suggestions above. More suggestions:

Ewald has two more symphonies. I'm partial to #3.
Arrangements of Holst Suites in Eb and F.
Bozza Sonatine
Bach Contrapuncti (several available - Robert King, I think)
Lots of Gabrieli
Dahl Music for Brass Instruments
Lots of good stuff arranged by Robert Elkjer (http://www.robertelkjer.com/)
Frackenpohl Quintet

Gosh, I could go on for a long time. My quintet library is huge.

ttf_Rockymountaintrombone · Thu Sep 07, 2017 1:54 pm

The King edition of the Ewald 1 is OK in a pinch, but I'd recommend that you look for a different edition. King really turned it into a sextet, although you can cover it with 5 players using the euphonium part on the bottom. You either need to add in some cues to have some of the original octave doublings, or do without them.

Better to use one of the other editions out there that preserves the original scoring. Just watch out that some of those versions have the horn part in E flat rather than F, so student and amateur players might find that to be difficult.

Jim Scott

ttf_jalapeno · Post by **ttf_jalapeno** » Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:22 pm

Thanks for these replies !

I will look into them asap

ttf_paulyg · Post by **ttf_paulyg** » Tue Sep 12, 2017 4:29 pm

Be careful, the Bozza is SERIOUSLY difficult! The part looks hard, and then everyone realizes that ALL the parts are hard, and it's EVEN HARDER to play them all at the same time!

ttf_Mark LaFratta · Post by **ttf_Mark LaFratta** » Thu Sep 14, 2017 9:05 am

Ewald No. 1 in the original Russian publication version is on imslp. its actually for 2 Bb cornets, alto horn, "Tenorhorn" and tuba. I do not recall meter changes, but the middle movement is in 5/4 as I recall. There a re a couple of short licks that are tricky on a trombone given it was written for a valved instrument, but it is very playable and most players like to play it. Very Russian Romantic.

I did not see anyone mention the Scherzo by John Cheetham. You players will like it. not too hard and while it is modern its not too modern. audience will like it too.

Someone mentioned the Morley Calvert Suite from the Monteregian Hills. That piece is fun for players and audiences. it is tricky in the scherzo-like movement and has a lot of noodles in the last movement. its about 9 minutes for all four movements as I recall. Old copies of it were horrible to read but in recent yeas it became available with computer made parts that are very easy to read. not cheap. I personally think its the right piece for you if you have competent college students.

Someone mentioned the Ingolf Dahl Suite. its a great piece, but very difficult in spots. plus it is written with the idea of a bass trombone on the fifth voice not a tuba. The fifth part goes higher than the fourth part in a bunch of places. it does not lend itself to a tuba on the bottom unless the tuba player uses an F and can play very high lightly.

MJL

ttf_jalapeno · Post by **ttf_jalapeno** » Thu Sep 14, 2017 10:09 am

The ewald at the school didn't have the bone or horn part so I punted

I'm going to give my recommendation of Ewazen mvt II of Frostfire

ttf_Mark LaFratta · Post by **ttf_Mark LaFratta** » Thu Sep 14, 2017 11:25 am

complete score and parts for Ewald 1 are on imslp for free.
MJL

ttf_BGuttman · Post by **ttf_BGuttman** » Thu Sep 14, 2017 12:50 pm

Quote from: Mark LaFratta on Sep 14, 2017, 11:25AMcomplete score and parts for Ewald 1 are on imslp for free.
MJL

Yeah, but he has to read Bb Treble Clef with all those accidentals, and his horn player needs to read Horn in Eb. If they are serious students it should be no issue, but we don't know where he sits.

ttf_jalapeno · Post by **ttf_jalapeno** » Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:18 am

In reply, we will play Ewald 1 for our first performance and the mvt II of Ewazen Frostfire for the second

And possibly for my recital

ttf_jalapeno · Post by **ttf_jalapeno** » Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:18 am

In reply, we will play Ewald 1 for our first performance and the mvt II of Ewazen Frostfire for the second

And possibly for my recital