Brass Quintet - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1489490 Composed by Dr. Daniel N. Thrower. Chamber,Classical,Historic,Patriotic. 38 pages. Https://gildedmusicpress.com/ #1066354. Published by https://gildedmusicpress.com/ (A0.1489490). Three of these seven short pieces are worthy to open any brass quintet concert or recital.  Two fanfares are too short for a concert feature but work extremely well in a ceremony or celebratory setting.  The last two short pieces aptly serve contrasting special purposes, as explained below.“Fort Pierre Fanfare” is about 40 seconds in duration, and was composed to open the feature concert at the South Dakota Bandmasters Association convention in 2022.  Offutt Brass, from the US Air Force Heartland of America Band, was invited to perform that concert.  Before the final piece of the concert, when gifts were exchanged between the sponsor and performers, beautiful presentation copies of the sheet music were presented to the sponsor.  In performance, staging directions on the music can be extremely effective or cringy, depending on how they are conveyed.  If there is any inkling that there may be a cringe factor, ignore them, and play the fanfare already on stage.“Enduring Freedom Fanfare” is nearly a minute of music.  It was composed as a gift for the outgoing Commander of the US Air Force Heritage of America Band, Major Rafael Toro-Quiñones.  His leadership was strong and inspiring, and he held a place of high esteem among many of the fine military musicians that he led.  The Change of Command ceremony was toward the end of the Covid-19 shut-downs, so the work was not performed at the ceremony.  Chief Remley, from the command’s satellite location in Nebraska, hand-delivered some finely printed presentation copies to Major Toro-Quiñones.“Noble Eagle Fanfare” is slightly over a minute in length, and, like “Enduring Freedom Fanfare,” was composed as a gift for another outgoing Commander of the US Air Force Heritage of America Band, Captain David Neil Regner.“Pilgrims’ Fanfare” was composed on what many Americans acknowledge as “Pioneer Day,” 24 July 2023.  Not only honoring the thousands of pioneers that settled the western United States, but also the pilgrims that voyaged across the ocean to settle in the new continent.  It is about 15 seconds in duration and is effective for any occasion in need of a magnificent fanfare.“Flightline Fanfare,” as its title implies, was composed for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the dedication of the newly renovated flightline at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.  Unfortunately, the ceremony itself was altered last-minute, and the 15-second fanfare was not used.  However, like “Pilgrims’ Fanfare,” it is very handy for any event demanding a splash of pomp.“American Interlude” is a soft 75-second underscore for an MC’s moving speech or dedication.  It was originally composed as a smooth segue between two moving patriotic pieces of different keys in a concert setting, but can be used in any similar appropriate situation.“Troop 184” is dedicated to my childhood BSA Scoutmaster, Gerry Nielson, who molded me in significant ways into the man I am decades later.  It is functional music, akin to a fight song, and can be easily marched to.  Words may be crafted as a customized hiking ditty, or it can be featured before or after ceremonies as prelude or processional music.  The duration can also be customized, as there is a written optional repeat, lengthening the tune from 45 seconds to a minute and a half.

Brass Quintet - Level 2 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1489486 Composed by Dr. Daniel N. Thrower. Chamber,Classical,Contest,Festival,Instructional. 45 pages. Https://gildedmusicpress.com/ #1066349. Published by https://gildedmusicpress.com/ (A0.1489486). This collection of short compositions for brass quintet was conceived specifically to supplement a dearth of appropriate and artistic original compositions for the young aspiring brass quintet.  These pieces are most fitting for a good high school quintet or a beginning college ensemble that wants a conquerable challenge.  With a variety of keys, styles, and tempos, they lend themselves well for deep work on the core ensemble skills of rhythmic accuracy, intonation, and dynamic balance.  These brief works are also quite enjoyable for the professional quintet to perform for ever-popular school shows, or simply to read as a warmup with the focus of improving ensemble skills.  Performance time for all five pieces is approximately five minutes.“Blackhawk” (duration 0:45) was originally composed in D-sharp minor as a melody to be used in Comprehensive Trumpet Skills, Book 9: Sightreading and Transposition (p. 39).  The quintet version is in concert D minor for more manageable execution.  This brisk four-four work is perhaps the most difficult in the collection, with demands of multiple tonguing for all the instruments as well as fairly advanced intervallic jumps.  “Lamb of God” (duration 1:00) is one of many hymn tunes originally composed by Dr. Thrower for use in Comprehensive Trumpet Skills, Book 7: Ensemble Skills (p. 54), intended to be used to tune unisons and octaves.  As a tuning study it was published in the key of F major for B-flat trumpet, or concert E-flat major.  The quintet version retained the original key of concert E-flat.  The reverently subdued four-four tempo makes this the easiest piece in the collection, technically, though the three core ensemble skills listed in the introductory paragraph (rhythm, intonation, and balance) must still be extensively addressed.  The horn part is perhaps the most demanding in “Lamb of God,” with arpeggiated discant lines toward the end.“Summer Solstice” (duration 1:10) was started on June 21, 2023, which was the summer solstice.  It is a bright, cheerful piece in concert F major with a lot of interest in all the parts.  One source of the title’s inspiration came from my family’s new situation living in Tokyo, Japan, where the dawn sky brightens around 4:00 AM on the longest days of the year, which obviously coincide with the summer solstice.  The 70-second piece was completed four days after conception while the long days started at their earliest.“Triumph: Children’s March” (duration 1:00) was the catalyst for this collection.  It started as a cute little brass quintet piece in the key of concert B-flat major, to be performed for children, such as for school concerts.  The cut-time tempo is very brisk for a march, but animated little legs (or a more manageable audience activity of clapping hands) can easily handle the task.  Although the first trumpet part ends up on a high C, there is an alternate note for a more comfortable ending.“Waltzing Puma” (duration 0:30) is an evocative title for an evocative piece.  Like “Blackhawk,” this melody was composed as a melody for Comprehensive Trumpet Skills, Book 9: Sightreading and Transposition (p. 36).  The melodies in that series took on titles of military aircraft, and this one was the helicopter “Puma.”  Since this tune is in a fast three-four, it became the “Waltzing Puma.”  The quintet version retains the original key of concert F minor.

Brass Quintet Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Digital Download SKU: A0.1468129 Composed by F. Leslie Smith. Arranged by F. Leslie Smith. 19th Century,Chamber,Folk,Historic,Traditional. 49 pages. Sweetwater Brass Press #1046440. Published by Sweetwater Brass Press (A0.1468129). In 1856 Joseph P. Webster, a Wisconsin songwriter, met Henry D.L. Webster (no relation), formerly the minister of Zanesville, Ohio’s Universalist Church.  Joseph was in the process of writing a song but needed lyrics to go with his melody.  Henry obliged by writing a longish poem about the love of his life, Ella Blocksom.  She had been his fiancée, but the engagement had been broken and, apparently, so had Henry’s heart.  Joseph’s melody needed a name that would fit into a three-note phrase, so “Ella” was changed to “Lorena.”  Chicago’s Higgins Brothers published the song in 1857, and it became widely popular.  When the American Civil war broke out, “Lorena” was beloved by both Union and Confederate soldiers as they thought of the wives and girlfriends they had left behind.       J.P. Webster’s “Lorena” is beautiful and plaintive. It is no wonder that this song has remained a sentimental favorite over the years and is still performed and recorded.  In this composition, “Lorena: A Brass Quintet Setting,” the “Lorena” tune has been expanded and transformed to create additional melodies that enhance and complement the original.  You’ll find it a pleasure to play and a real crowd pleaser for audiences.     This composition is 201 measures in length.  It begins in the key of E-flat, transitions to B-flat at section C (measure 51) and goes to F at section G (measure 141).  Initial tempo marking is Adagio, increasing to Moderato at section C.  There are a number of temporary tempo variations and fermata marks, and the last 9 measures are characterized by a gradual slowing.     The introduction is 21 measures in length.  It leads to the second section, which consists of a plain, simple and straightforward statement of J.P. Webster’s “Lorena” theme, complete with grace notes and gruppetto.  In this section, Horn and Trumpet 1 do the honors, eventually joined by Tuba, and it should be played with great expression.       At section C, tempo then picks up, and the arrangement presents a series of explications of the theme in various styles.       The final section, I (measure 179), reprises most of the variations and ends with a partial reiteration of the “Lorena” theme.     Performance time is about eight minutes, forty seconds.  Tuba plays several notes near the top of its scale; otherwise, all notes are within the normal playing range of each instrument.     The composer, Les Smith, will be happy to provide substitute parts (for example, treble clef baritone for trombone) at no charge.  He would like to receive your suggestions, comments, corrections and criticisms.  Contact him at lessmith61@bellsouth.net.  For more arrangements by Les, enter Sweetwater Brass Press (without the quotation marks) in the Sheet Music Plus or Sheet Music Direct search box.

Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1149129 By John Coltrane. By John Coltrane. Arranged by Keith Terrett. 20th Century,Blues,Jazz,Multicultural,Standards,World. 11 pages. Keith Terrett #749258. Published by Keith Terrett (A0.1149129). An arrangement of John Coltrane's classic Equinox for Brass Quintet with optional drum kit. Equinox is a minor blues jazz standard by American jazz saxophone player and composer John Coltrane. Originally released on Coltrane's Sound[ played in C# minor with a slow swing feel. However, it is usually played in the key of C Minor and often covered on the flute Coltrane’s wife Naima named the song Equinox. The equinox occur twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the sun. John Coltrane was born on September 23, 1926, the day of the official autumn equinox of that year. The release of Equinox was delayed until 1964 when Atlantic issued the album Coltrane’s Sound. Before he recorded it, Coltrane performed Equinox several times in live venues, including a session with Miles Davis’ rhythm section and at the 1960 Monterey Jazz Festival. Unfortunately, the other Atlantic recordings of Equinox were lost in the 1978 warehouse fire before they were released.Unlike Naima and My Favorite Things, Equinox would not become part of Coltrane's repertoire. Coltrane's attitude in writing Equinox is described by Dr Lewis Porter as Coltrane was a serious blues player and his blues pieces reflect the desire to get back to a primal mood, and away from the emotionally lighter, harmonically more complicated and complex blues of the boppers. Equinox is introduced by McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones with a Latin rhythmic passage which shifts into the slower tempo of the theme. The composition evokes a sense of mystery. Coltrane then enters on the horn (a tenor), his playing slow and pensive. The theme is repeated for two choruses and then stating the theme twice. He then proceeds with an improvisation of unusual emotional depth - reminiscent of a preacher exhorting his congregation. Elvin Jones make dramatic use of drum rolls and cymbal crashes throughout the song to maintain the sense of mystery. McCoy Tyner comps with a light feel.

Brass Quintet Baritone Horn TC,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 3 - Digital Download SKU: A0.1414066 By Will Corbin. By Edwin Eugene Bagley. Arranged by Will Corbin. March. 10 pages. Will Corbin #995836. Published by Will Corbin (A0.1414066). So the legend goes: Edward Eugene Bagley is on a train, touring with his family band from some Vermont backwater, when he composed National Emblem. He didn't like the ending he wrote, so he trashed the score. Someone in his band rescued it from the trash can. The rest of the band repaired to the baggage car (surely beer was involved in this activity) and secretly rehearsed the new march. They performed it at the band's next concert. It became the most famous (as in, the only one you've ever heard of) of Bagley's compositions and one of the most recognizable American marches. John Phillip Sousa ranked it among the top four in that category, surrounding it, of course, with his own marches. Its trio is regularly played at colors ceremonies. It even pops up in the TubaChristmas version of Jingle Bells. He sold the rights to the arrangement for $25.