Best Large Brass Ensemble Pieces?

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Hey Guys (& Gals),

We are planning a big brass choir concert, and I am on the lookout for great literature!

The setting will be a cathedral-like church, and I am already planning on doing antiphonal Gabrieli, but my experience with large brass choir rep. is somewhat limited, and I would hate to miss out on a gem!

For the record, it will be an excellent collection of musicians, so difficulty of rep. is not a particular problem, but audience-friendly music has a priority, as it is a fundraiser for the local orchestra.

If you have any favorites, I'd love to hear about them!

Thanks!

[gregsundt]

Depending on your instrumentation, check out a couple of Philip Jones Brass Ensemble arrangements for two solo trumpets (antiphony works great) and ensemble. Just Brass series #3 (Trumpet Voluntary) and #40 (Trumpet Tune and Air) are both nicely arranged and very listenable. The only risk, of course, is that someone will think they came to the wrong church and stand for the bridal procession. Other than the two solo trumpets, the ensemble tends to be a bit bottom-heavy. I think that's not a bad thing.

[gregsundt]

BTW, will you have percussion? That opens up a much wider repertoire by adding only a couple of players.

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Percussion is possible, as this is not a set group. I am expecting that we will have varied instrumentation, depending on the piece.

[balchb]

Check out chambermusicworks.com. He was a highly successful former band director and a fantastic arranger. Our group he conducts is quite fine. He has a growing brass choir library grade 3-5+. We've done all of it at least once.

Others... Ewazen Symphony for Brass, Voluntaries on "Lobe Den Herren" by McIntyre, Boulder Brass transcriptions of Grainger stuff is good, Lento "For the Brass" from Dance Movements by Philip Sparke, Celebration Fanfare by James Clemens, Western Fanfare by Ewazen.

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Thank you for the great leads!

[scottw]

Thank you for the great leads!

Mike Allen's stuff on Boulder Brass is first-rate and he has a lot of it. Definitely the Dukas "LaPeri" someone else mentioned. What is your instrumentation projected to be? The reason I ask is that many arrangers use only one F Horn, ala PJBE. Plus, percussion adds another wealth of rep.

[Peach]

Eric Crees arrangements of:
Bach Passacaglia & Fugue in Cm and Toccata and Fugue in Dm
West Side Story

Elgar Howarth arrangement of Pictures at an Exhibition

[MTFULRUTUBA]

I always liked Vaclav Nelhybel's Numismata for 7 piece brass ensemble.

[eupher61]

Greig Funeral March. Amazing music.

[Heavy_Metal]

Richard Strauss' "Feierlicher Einzug". You can find a recent transcription on dorm40music.com .

[Peach]

Strauss - Festmusik =) Love it. Needs a few trumpets...

[mikalengen]

A couple of Nordic suggestions:

Einhojani Rautavaara: A Requiem in our time
Knut Nystedt: Pia Memoria

[Z-Tuba Dude]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, guys!

If anyone else has some other thoughts, I'd love to hear'em!

[imperialbari]

Instrument line-up?

Klaus

[Z-Tuba Dude]

I'm figuring a basic orchestral brass set up (+ euph) (possibly + perc), but if there is a great piece that requires a specific orchestration, I'll get it covered. : )

It is not a set group.

[scottw]

[quote="balchb"]Check out chambermusicworks.com. He was a highly successful former band director and a fantastic arranger. quote]
FYI
When I attempted to go to this site, my anti-virus blocked it immediately. Please verify that this is the correct address?

[balchb]

Check out chambermusicworks.com. He was a highly successful former band director and a fantastic arranger. quote]
FYI
When I attempted to go to this site, my anti-virus blocked it immediately. Please verify that this is the correct address?

chambermusicworks.com... it's a home-grown business, but it's legit. Great stuff in the catalog.

[scottw]

Check out chambermusicworks.com. He was a highly successful former band director and a fantastic arranger. quote]
FYI
When I attempted to go to this site, my anti-virus blocked it immediately. Please verify that this is the correct address?

chambermusicworks.com... it's a home-grown business, but it's legit. Great stuff in the catalog.

Web Attack: Malicious website script redirect 16 is all I get from Norton. I'd like to see this, but something is wrong with the site or the address.

[gregsundt]

Karel Husa: Divertimento for Brass and Percussion.

If I recall correctly, this one has a nice tuba feature.