Finest Brass Quintet Composers

[vintage7512]

So much of what I know about in quintet literature are adapted from something else, not written primarily for brass quintet. I know Ewald wrote for brass quintet, and maybe the Malcolm Arnold quintets, and we have the Luther Henderson stuff for the Canadian Brass - any other great works specifically for Brass quintet? I know someone will say this has been discussed at length here on tubenet, but I was not privy to that discussion. I will be receiving a GC from a local sheet music store for Xmas (all I ever actually ask for) and want some ideas. Thanks for the ideas.

[BVD Press]

Eric Ewazen is one of my favorites and for arrangers I am very partial to Jack Gale (and not just because I publish a bunch of his music). Bill Holcombe is another great arranger.

Are you looking for a particular style, originals, arrangements, etc.?

Warning a plug here:

Barbara York has a new Quintet that was released earlier this month. It is four movements, fun and emotional at the same time. It is called Aspects and in four movements:

1. Hum of the Body 2. Cry of the Heart 3. Rondo of the Mind 4. Hymn to the Spirit

It probably won't be in most of the stores databases yet, but if you ask nicely they can order it for you...or you can find it on the Cimarron site.

end of plug...

Best wishes to all,

[Kevin Hendrick]

John Cheetham -- "Scherzo"

http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stori ... mposition/

+1 to Bryan's recommendations above.

[vintage7512]

we have scherzo - great piece. I haven't heard of Barbara York, but I will try her stuff. Have lots of Holcombe and Gale. I haven't forgotten Cimmaron Press either, just don't know much about most of the literature and don't like to buy 'sound unheard' as it were. The last two things I really enjoyed learning were The Ewald Bb (quintet I) and Suite from the Montereggian Hills (still working on the 4th movement - may prove impossible for me.). This is the style/taste/level I am trying to get my small MP people to aspire towards. We also did Frackenpohl's Puttin' on the Ritz - very fun piece.

[Rick Denney]

You might not like the Bozza Sonatine much better, but it's a standard work for quintet. There is surprisingly little that is originally composed for brass quintet, and much of what there is was written for college ensembles by college professors and are intended to be challenging. I like the Scherzo a lot for many reasons, but it's accessibility to mortals is a big one.

Rick "whose quintet plays a lot of transcriptions--like all quintets" Denney

[tubagirl5]

Check out Jan Bach. He has a handful of really great quintet pieces. They are very difficult, but very fun to play and listen to.

[BVD Press]

The Ewazen's will be quite a nice for you if you liked the Ewald. Have you tried the other 2 Ewald's?

I also really like the Bramwell Tovey:

http://www.canadianbrassstore.com/brtosabaso.html

Centone's from Southern Music and by Verne Reynolds are some more charts that might work for you.

If you have any questions about the charts I publish, just let me know and I can give you some feedback. I have played most of them...

This is Barbara York's first foray into quintet literature and I don't have a sound sample yet, but there are oodles of her solos with samples.

If the GC is generic, you might want to look into some of Gary's charts found here:

http://www.selectapress.com/

So much to choose from which is just not the way it was many years ago. It sure is nice to have options!

[Jobey Wilson]

My favorite original works for brass quintet:
Quintet- Alvin Etler
Laudes- Jan Bach
Morning Music- David Sampson
4 Sketches- Anthony Plog
Passages- Patrice Caratini
Mini Overture- Witold Lutoslawski
Quintet- Malcolm Arnold
Sonatine- Bozza
Quintet 1,2,3- Victor Ewald
The Madding Crowd- Lansing McLoskey
Rounds & Dances- Jan Bach
Compressions 3- Ray Luke (best 12-tone brass 5tet piece..ever!!!)
Flourish- Ray Luke
Passages- Samuel Headrick
Brass Quintet- Dzubay
4 Pieces for Brass Quintet- Paquito d'Rivera
Perichoresis- Delvyn Case
Suite from Monteregian Hills- Morley Calvert

My favorite transcriptions:
Symphony #8- Dvorak/Craig Garner (dorm40music.com)
Toccata & Fugue in D Minor- Bach/Canadian Brass
Monteverdi Madrigals- tritonmusicservices.com

[Kory101]

Jan Koetsier

Yes. Our quintet is working on this right now. Amazing piece.

[KenS]

You might want to add Arthur Frackenpohl's Brass Quintet to your list. It is very nice.

Ken S.

[Matt Ransom]

Art Frackenpohl has actually written 5 original brass quintets. I do not know if they are all available commercially, but I have recorded No. 2 and No. 5. Very nice approachable works that audiences seem to enjoy.

[CraigFuller]

Happy Holidays, to all! I too am a fan of the Etler, Bozza Sonatine, Jan Bach Laudes, Rounds and Dances, as well as the Ewalds, especially #3 and Quintet by Koetsier. Here are a few of the less-well-known works that we have played recently in the Faculty Brass Quintet at the University of Nebraska that, I think, deserve to be played more.

A Brass Menagerie John Cheetham (*1939)

Musique pour Cuivres Desire Dondeyne (*1921)

No Comment (1996) Juraj Filas (*1955)

Quintet for Brass Instruments Axel Jorgensen (1881-1947)

Golden Suite Henri Sauguet (1901-1989)

[vintage7512]

Yes...Frackenpohl is excellent...thanks for all the ideas....I think I may just start ordering Bill Holcombe in bulk - while I can appreciate the musicianship required in some of the other, more atonal, composers (we have a Hindemith piece), I want to be whistling a tune when I leave rehearsal, and with the late GREAT Bill Holcombe arrangements, I always am. Ewald , also, wrote beautiful melodies. I may have more pedestrian tastes (and skills) than some of you. I have tried to find some recordings of the great listed composers above, but come up dry with most of them. Any ideas where one might hear recordings of these works? Hate to spend money on pieces either too difficult or which the group may not be enamored of. Having said that....no one liked the Washburn 3 movement quintet until we finally started to play it properly........

[Mark]

I think I may just start ordering Bill Holcombe in bulk ...

Then you may also want to check out Jack Gale's arrangements.

[LARSONTUBA]

I'll probably catch some flak for repeating what others have already said, but I'm gonna chime in my thoughts.

Here's my favorite quintet pieces:

Etler Quintet
Jan Bach Rounds and Dances
Jan Bach Laudes
Andres Hillborg Quintet (unbelievable writing, this is probably one of the most exciting pieces for the repertoire that no one has heard of)
Lutoslawski - Mini Overture
Bozza Sonatine
Calvert - Suite from Monteregian Hills
Tilson-Thomas Street Song
Previn 4 Outings
Sacco Quintet
Babbitt Fanfare for All

[Roger Lewis]

If you want to have fun, and let the audience have some fun I would recommend highly:
Vuelta del Fuego by Kevin McKee
Ricochet by Kerry Turner

Anything by Jack Gale, especially
West Side Story
Titanic
Sound of Mucus
Christmas carols

I have also enjoyed:
Robert Starrer Five Minatures for Brass Quintet
Ingolf Dahl Music for Brass Instruments
David Dzubay Quintet
Lauridsen O Magnum Mysterium

Roger