From the Music of Black Composers Series at Charles Decker Music Press is the “The Charleston� which debuted in James P. Johnson’s Broadway 1923 show “Runnin’ Wild� to become the wildly popular and unofficial anthem of the Roaring 20’s.  An important jazz pianist and composer, Johnson was a major influence on Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Art Tatum, Thelonious Monk, and Fats Waller.  Arranged for a brass quintet of two B-flat trumpets with alternate C trumpet parts, horn in F with a substitute flugelhorn part, trombone or euphonium and tuba, the arrangement uses the original 1923 piano edition and retains the style of the day. The recording is of the entire edition.

“The Music of Black Composers Series is a welcome and timely addition to the brass repertoire. Interesting music, expertly arranged, fun to perform, and well received by audiences. These pieces are now permanently in my quintet book and I will be using them with my student groups as well. Highly recommended!�   Wesley Nance, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman School of Music
 
“I was so pleased to see the great works arranged for brass ensemble by Charles Decker Music Press especially the Music of Black Composers’ Series. It was especially rewarding to perform several of these with Summit Brass and with the students attending the Rafael Mendez Brass institute. Please keep these wonderful settings coming. You have provided the brass world with some real gems.�  Joseph Parisi, Director Summit Brass, FountainCity Brass Band, University of Missouri Kansas City Conservatory Wind Ensemble

The Interlochen Arts Academy and the University of Denver have purchased the Music of Black Composer Series with Charles Decker Music Press and the summer Rafael Mendez Brass Institute and Eastman School of Music uses the series arrangements in their chamber and brass ensembles music programs. 

See 50+ homogeneous brass editions for trumpet, horn and trombone ensembles and 75+ mixed brass ensemble publications with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. To see our Music of Black Composers Series enter “Black Composers Series� in the search box at Charles Decker Music Press for 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others.

For more brass quintet editions by Charles Decker use these links to Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

This entertaining and playful cakewalk, forerunner of ragtime style, is by the prominent Canadian-American Black composer Nathaniel Dett who studied with notable teachers such as composer Arthur Foote at Harvard, was the first African-American to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Music from Oberlin Conservatory in composition and piano in 1908 and received an Honorary Masters Degree in 1932 from the Eastman School of Music. Scored for two trumpets in B-flat (with alternate C trumpet parts), horn (with flugelhorn substitute), trombone (with treble clef euphonium substitute) and tuba, the arrangement has wide audience appeal and is very accessible for less experienced players. The recoding is of the entire edition.

“The Music of Black Composers Series is a welcome and timely addition to the brass repertoire. Interesting music, expertly arranged, fun to perform, and well received by audiences. These pieces are now permanently in my quintet book and I will be using them with my student groups as well. Highly recommended!�   Wesley Nance, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman School of Music

“I was so pleased to see the great works arranged for brass ensemble by Charles Decker Music Press especially the Music of Black Composers’ Series. It was especially rewarding to perform several of these with Summit Brass and with the students attending the Rafael Mendez Brass institute. Please keep these wonderful settings coming. You have provided the brass world with some real gems.�  Joseph Parisi, Director Summit Brass, Fountain City Brass Band, University of Missouri Kansas City Conservatory Wind Ensemble

The Interlochen Arts Academy and the University of Denver have purchased the Music of Black Composer Series with Charles Decker Music Press and the summer Rafael Mendez Brass Institute and Eastman School of Music uses the series arrangements in their chamber and brass ensembles music programs. 

See 50+ homogeneous brass editions for trumpet, horn and trombone ensembles and 75+ mixed brass ensemble publications with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. To see our Music of Black Composers Series enter “Black Composers Series� in the search box at Charles Decker Music Press for 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others..

For more brass quintet editions by Charles Decker use these links to Kendor Music  and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

This spectacular tour de force for brass quintet and organ of Handel's famous chorus from his beloved Messiah oratorio is guaranteed to excite audiences and the performers. Set in the original key, it features the first trumpet on piccolo B-flat trumpet with alternative piccolo trumpet parts in A and C, the second trumpet on D trumpet with an alternate part in C., a flugelhorn/trumpet substitute part is included for horn, trombone in bass clef, tuba, and organ. The audio file is an actual brass quintet and organ performance of the entire arrangement and not a computer playback of the score.

Use this link to see all the Charles Decker Music Press Christmas holiday music for mixed brass and homogeneous groups.  Use this link to Kendor Music for my original composition for brass quintet with narrator of the holiday classic story ’Twas the Night Before Christmas.

See more than 70 mixed brass ensemble publications with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. See also 50+ homogeneous brass group editions with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for horn, trumpet and trombone ensembles. Check out the Music of Black Composers Series with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus with 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others.  All ensemble publications include recordings of the entire edition.  

For more Charles Decker brass quintet editions use these links to Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

Beloved by generations of audiences, Tchaikovsky's charming overture to his endearing Christmas ballet is an annual concert experience enjoyed by families world-wide. Recommended by the International Trumpet Guild Journal, the brass quintet arrangement includes B-flat and alternate C trumpet parts and substitute flugelhorn/trumpet for horn. The audio file is an actual brass quintet performance of the entire arrangement and not a computer playback of the score.

Use this link to see all the Charles Decker Music Press Christmas holiday music for mixed brass and homogeneous groups. Use this link to Kendor Music for my original composition for brass quintet with narrator of the holiday classic story ’Twas the Night Before Christmas.

See more than 70 mixed brass ensemble publications at Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. See also 50+ homogeneous brass group editions with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for horn, trumpet and trombone ensembles. Check out the Music of Black Composers Series with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus with 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others. All ensemble publications include recordings of the entire edition.  

For more of Charles Decker brass quintet editions use these links to Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

Giuseppe Verdi's familiar soprano aria from his opera Rigoletto now arranged as a solo feature for one of the quintet's trumpeters accompanied by an orchestra of conical brass - flugelhorn, horn, euphonium and tuba. Alternate trumpet parts in C are provided for both trumpeters and a flugelhorn/trumpet substitute part for horn. The audio file is an actual brass quintet performance of the entire work and not a computer playback of the score.

If looking for more trumpet solo features with brass quintet see Charles Decker Music Press SMP editions of Clarke’s Carnival of Venice, Sasche Concertino for Eb Cornet of 1871 , and opera arias by Puccini Che Gelida Manina from La Boheme , and Rossini Non Piu Mesta from Cinderella. Use this link to Kendor Music for my trumpet feature brass quintet arrangements of Clarke’s Bride of the Waves and Nestico’s Portrait of a Trumpet.

See more than 70 mixed brass ensemble publications with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. See also 50+ homogeneous brass group editions with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for horn, trumpet and trombone ensembles. Check out the Music of Black Composers Series with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus with 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others. All ensemble publications include recordings of the entire edition.  

For more Charles Decker brass quintet editions use these links to Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

This solo feature for a quintet's trumpeter or cornetist is from the Golden Age of concert bands at the turn of the 20th century composed by legendary Sousa Band soloist Hebert L. Clarke. Clarke's impressive setting of Carnival of Venice remains the most frequently performed version of the theme and variations cornet solo first made famous by Arban. To contrast the cornet soloist's pyrotechnics is a humorous trombone and tuba accompaniment that enlivens the listening experience. A flugelhorn/trumpet alternate part is provided for the horn part. The sound file is an actual brass quintet performance of the entire arrangement and not a computer playback of the score.

If looking for more trumpet solo features with brass quintet see Charles Decker Music Press SMP editions of Sasche Concertino for Eb Cornet of 1871, and opera arias by Puccini Che Gelida Manina from La Boheme, Verdi Caro Nome from Rigoletto and Rossini Non Piu Mesta from Cinderella. Use this link to Kendor Music to see my trumpet feature brass quintet arrangements of Clarke’s Bride of the Waves and Nestico’s Portrait of a Trumpet.

See more than 70 mixed brass ensemble publications with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. See also 50+ homogeneous brass group editions with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for horn, trumpet and trombone ensembles. Check out the Music of Black Composers Series with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus with 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others.  All ensemble publications include recordings of the entire edition.    

For more Charles Decker brass quintet publications use these links Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

My Ragtime Baby was the 1898 mega hit featured in the Sousa Band European 1900 tour that introduced European audiences to American Ragtime. Fred Stone was a prominent African-American composer and conductor in the early Ragtime movement. The rag is arranged for two B-flat trumpets, horn in F, trombone and tuba. The recording is of the entire edition.

“The Music of Black Composers Series is a welcome and timely addition to the brass repertoire. Interesting music, expertly arranged, fun to perform, and well received by audiences. These pieces are now permanently in my quintet book and I will be using them with my student groups as well. Highly recommended!�   Wesley Nance, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Eastman School of Music
 
“I was so pleased to see the great works arranged for brass ensemble by Charles Decker Music Press especially the Music of Black Composers’ Series. It was especially rewarding to perform several of these with Summit Brass and with the students attending the Rafael Mendez Brass institute. Please keep these wonderful settings coming. You have provided the brass world with some real gems.�  Joseph Parisi, Director Summit Brass, Fountain City Brass Band, University of Missouri Kansas City Conservatory Wind Ensemble

The Interlochen Arts Academy and the University of Denver have purchased the Music of Black Composer Series with Charles Decker Music Press and the summer Rafael Mendez Brass Institute and Eastman School of Music uses the series arrangements in their chamber and brass ensembles music programs. 

See 50+ homogeneous brass editions for trumpet, horn and trombone ensembles and 75+ mixed brass ensemble publications with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. To see our Music of Black Composers Series enter “Black Composers Series� in the search box at Charles Decker Music Press for 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others.

For more brass quintet editions by Charles Decker use these links to Kendor Music  and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

This trumpet feature of the familiar and impassioned tenor aria Che Gelida Manina from Puccini's beloved opera La Boheme is a solo showcase in the tradition of Opera Without Words instrumental arrangements. The brass quintet arrangement is scored for two trumpet in B-flat with alternate C trumpet parts, horn in F with flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, trombone and tuba. The audio file is an actual performance by a brass quintet of the entire work and not a computer playback of the score.

If looking for more trumpet solo features with quintet check out Charles Decker Music Press with Sheet Music Plus editions of Clarke’s Carnival of Venice, Verdi's Caro Nome from Rigoletto, Rossini's Non Piu Mesta from Cinderella, Sasche Concertino for Eb Cornet of 1871, and use this link to Kendor Music for my brass quintet arrangements of Clarke's Bride of the Waves and Nestico’s Portrait of a Trumpet. 

See more than 70 mixed brass ensemble publications at Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. See also 50+ homogeneous brass group editions with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Press for horn, trumpet and trombone ensembles. Check out the Music of Black Composers Series wih Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Press with 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others. All ensemble publications include recordings of the entire edition.  

For more Charles Decker brass quintet editions use these links Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music to see listings of arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

This Americana brass band era two-movement virtuoso solo for E-flat cornet or trumpet from 1871 features a quintet trumpeter accompanied by traditional brass band instruments B-flat cornet, E-flat alto horn, baritone/euphonium and tuba. Included is alternate B-flat cornet for the E-flat solo cornet, alternate B-flat cornet for E-flat alto horn, alternate F horn for E-flat alto horn, and trombone can substitute for baritone/euphonium. The sound file is an actual brass quintet performance of the entire arrangement and not a computer playback of the score.

If looking for more trumpet solo features with brass quintet see Charles Decker Music Press SMP editions of Clarke’s Carnival of Venice and opera arias by Puccini Che Gelida Manina from La Boheme, Verdi Caro Nome from Rigoletto and Rossini Non Piu Mesta from Cinderella. Use this link to Kendor Music  to see my trumpet feature brass quintet publications of Clarke’s Bride of the Waves and Nestico’s Portrait of a Trumpet .

See more than 70 mixed brass ensemble publications at Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. See also 50+ homogeneous brass group editions with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for horn, trumpet and trombone ensembles. Check out the Music of Black Composers Series with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus with 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others. All ensemble publications include recordings of the entire edition.  

For more Charles Decker brass quintet publications use these links to Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music to see listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

For ambitious brass quintets seeking innovative programming here is the final fugue from Italian composer and pianist Ferrucio Busoni's 1912 magnum opus treatise Fantasia Contrappuntistica that pays homage to J.S. Bach's Art of the Fugue with inventive counterpoint and harmonic transformations. Busoni’s ingenious Final Fugue #12 presents Bach’s uncompleted last fugue in an entirely new light. The audio file is an actual brass quintet performance of the entire work and not a computer playback of the score. 

See more than 70 mixed brass ensemble publications with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. See also 50+ homogeneous brass group editions with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for horn, trumpet and trombone ensembles. Check out the Music of Black Composers Series with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus with 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others.  All ensemble publications include recordings of the entire edition.    

For more of Charles Decker quintet editions use these links to  Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.

For ambitious brass quintets seeking innovative programming here is the second fugue from Italian composer and pianist Ferrucio Busoni's 1912 magnum opus treatise, Fantasia Contrappuntistica, that pays homage to J.S. Bach's Art of the Fugue of which Busoni modifies the baroque master's fugues with inventive new counterpoint and harmonies. It is arranged for a brass quintet of two B-flat trumpets with alternate C trumpet parts, horn in F, trombone and tuba. The audio file is an actual brass quintet performance of the entire work and not a computer playback of the score. 

See more than 70 mixed brass ensemble publications with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for inexperienced to advanced musicians of mixed brass ensembles with music ranging from the Renaissance to contemporary new works for trios, quartets, quintets, brass choir and brass band. Many of the mixed brass ensemble editions include alternate and substitute parts being alternate C trumpet parts for B-flat trumpet parts, flugelhorn/trumpet substitute for horn, horn substitute for trombone and treble clef euphonium substitute for trombone. See also 50+ homogeneous brass group editions with Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus for horn, trumpet and trombone ensembles.  Check out the Music of Black Composers Series wiht Charles Decker Music Press at Sheet Music Plus with 25 arrangements for mixed brass ensembles ranging from early jazz to symphonic works with composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, R. Nathaniel Dett, William Grant Still, Will Marion Cook, James Reese Europe, James Johnson and others. All ensemble publications include recordings of the entire edition.  

For more Charles Decker brass quintet editions use these links to Kendor Music and Cherry Classics Music for listings of my arrangements of music by J.S. Bach, H.L. Clarke, Debussy, Dukas, Elgar, Falla, Holst, Ives, Nestico, Rachmaninoff, Satie, and Tchaikovsky.