Brass Quintet - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1489523

Composed by Dr. Daniel N. Thrower. 21st Century,Chamber,Classical,Film/TV. 31 pages. Https://gildedmusicpress.com/ #1066386. Published by https://gildedmusicpress.com/ (A0.1489523).

Dimension Traveler, Op. 150, for brass quintet was completed 26 Mar 2024.  When I wrote the first few distinctive notes into the computer, my ten-year-old son said that it sounded “futuristic.”  Somehow that sparked memories of a novel I had started years ago, titled “Dimension Traveler,” based on dimensional theories I had developed.  With that fresh inspiration in mind, the piece wrote itself with opening movie credits in mind.

The form is thematically palindromic, the center point being m. 77.  The beginning to rehearsal letter A mirrors K to the end; A to B is parallel to J-K; B-C = I-J; C-D = H-I; D-E = G-H; and the central thematic sections E-F = F-G.  Concerning that central turning point, the thematic material shifts from the trumpets’ first statement at letter E to low brass with the trumpets taking on the pointillistic accompaniment at letter F.  Of interest is the parallel of C-D and H-I wherein the motivic material, including dynamics, is quite literally reversed note for note to a climax.

For aural aesthetics in performance, there is an optional cut from letter K to m. 142.  Thematically, the structure remains chiastic, but taking the cut simply truncates the end for a motivic flavor rather than repeating the entire opening entrée.  There is nothing wrong with purists performing the work in its entirety—it is simply a matter of taste among the performing ensemble members.

Stylistically, this piece strays far from my typical compositions.  Besides the pervasive echoing eighth-note motifs, the key never changes, and there is no chromaticism.  Inspired in that regard by the masterpiece “Quintet” by Michael Kamen, the diatonicism often flows in planed clusters mildly influenced by the choral works of Eric Whitacre.  Another deviation from my well-established compositional habits is the instrumentation including bass trombone instead of tuba.  Of course the part can be played by a tubist, though the bass trombone meshes more seamlessly with the timbres of the other instruments in passing along the pervasively echoing eighth-notes.

The individual brass parts appear deceptively simple, and indeed, they are not technically demanding besides a couple high notes in the trumpets.  However, putting this piece together in an ensemble setting is rhythmically treacherous!

The four-minute final product indeed sounds like it could be the opening to an epic movie of the same title, based on the novel-in-progress.

Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1158418

Composed by Dr. Daniel N. Thrower. 20th Century,Chamber,Classical,Historic,Patriotic. 31 pages. Https://gildedmusicpress.com/ #758704. Published by https://gildedmusicpress.com/ (A0.1158418).

Some of my fondest memories as a child were made during long, uncomfortable road trips. As a father, similar memories with my children are among my warmest. This three-and-a-half-minute piece of music aptly tells the title’s story. The excitement leading up to the anticipated day of departure is electric! The opening fanfare-ish intro reflects this buzz well. It is followed by a quirky rhythmic section as “helpful� kids load their poorly packed bags full of unnecessary items awkwardly into the vehicle. The fanfare returns as the family hits the road at last. As the rest of the music unfolds, imagine the alphabet game, off-key songs sung at the top of everyone’s lungs, rest stops (emergency or otherwise), spilled food, car problems, drowsiness, souvenirs, car sickness, and of course ultimate arrival at planned destinations. This soundtrack to a fun part of life can be anyone’s road trip! Work on this composition began on September 19, 2021 as a thoroughly sketched out fanfare in my manuscript notebook during a church youth activity in a park. It remained in that state until I contracted Covid-19 in July 2022 and was confined to a hotel room for a week. There, I entered this sketch into the computer, along with a dozen others. Throughout the summer, all of these works received some attention, but this one more than the rest. Much of the final work on “Road Trip� took place during a trip to Philadelphia.

Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1158388

Composed by Dr. Daniel N. Thrower. 20th Century,Chamber,Classical,Comedy. 22 pages. Https://gildedmusicpress.com/ #758669. Published by https://gildedmusicpress.com/ (A0.1158388).

My wife’s from-scratch cinnamon rolls are famous throughout our community—especially among our children’s circle of friends. While enjoying a socially-distanced church service at home on Easter Sunday, there was a batch of those butterfly-inducing cinnamon rolls baking in the new oven. They filled the home with an exquisite aromatic delight. Then the magic motif chimed: “The food is done!� I happened to have my composition notebook with me, and the little four-note tune inspired this composition. It just naturally took me in some happy musical directions, and within a minute or two, the melodic content, replete with fun-filled, muted second-trumpet echoes, was scrawled down. The next day, the music was entered into the computer. It is interesting that I gave the horn the cliché off-beats that all hornists know and love so well. Funny, I usually pride myself on writing for horn as an equal musical instrument; however, this fun, happy melody just demanded an “um-pah� accompaniment. Hopefully there is enough variety to keep the part fun to play. It helps that the piece is only two minutes and something long. The transition into the B section almost wrote itself, modulating to the relative minor. There I paused briefly, wondering how to treat a minor section in such an exuberant piece. Oh, but inspiration continued to flow, and I resumed writing in earnest with a mischievous smile! This section beautifully portrays a naughty, sneaky kid tiptoeing into the kitchen for another cinnamon roll—forbidden until after dinner! The listener can hear the kid’s nervous fluttering heart, and moments of pulling his hand back in startled impishness, and even shuddering as he looks fearfully over his shoulder. At the end of the B section, he gets caught! Witnessing that low-hanging head and puppy dog eyes, mommy finds that she can’t scold the lad too severely. “After dinner, little one…� she reprimands with an understanding grin. The jubilant melody returns to round out the work’s ternary ABA form, though this time with a very sticky Ives-esque climax, reminiscent of a gooey cinnamon roll mess. Too enjoyable to be bothered by prospects of cleaning up, the music shrugs it off with flippant ragtime syncopations, and ends with the “hic-burp� of a very satisfied tummy.

Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Horn in F, Euphonium, Brass Quintet, Brass Choir or Ensemble - Intermediate - Digital Download Arranged by Thomas Graf. Score, Set of Parts. 19 pages. Published by Thomas Graf - the-hit-factory.com

Horn,Trombone,Trumpet,Tuba - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1158678

Composed by Dr. Daniel N. Thrower. 20th Century,Chamber,Classical,Historic. 30 pages. Https://gildedmusicpress.com/ #758696. Published by https://gildedmusicpress.com/ (A0.1158678).

The opening of this 4-minute piece is dance-like, intimating a celebratory mood up front—alone at first, but shared with the ensemble throughout the piece. After much celebration, the piece ends solemnly, as if giving each other final hugs and good-byes. Every Airman has a story to tell. “Farewell Celebration� is part of my story as an Airman musician. It is a fitting farewell to the Heartland of America Band stationed at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska, and to the entire American Midwest, as my family and I finalized our plans to uproot for an extraordinary three-year adventure in Asia. Work on this composition began toward the end of July and beginning of August 2021 as a melody with instructions to be the opening of a brass quintet piece, beginning with trumpet alone. It remained in that state until January 2022 when I entered this sketch into the computer to be worked on sporadically along with several other works in progress. When I contracted Covid-19 in July 2022, all of these works and other incipient pieces received attention, but this one more than most others. In the fall, I felt an urgency to complete it as a sentimental gesture of enthusiastic good-byes due to many life changes taking place. In particular, my fourth son, Paul, was departing for two years for Brazil. I was compelled to complete this work before he left on October 17, 2022, which I accomplished the day prior to his departure. In addition to Paul’s farewell, two co-workers with whom I had worked closely in the Air Force brass quintet called “Offutt Brass,� were also moving on with new exciting chapters in their lives. MSgt Ben Kadow, our fantastic trombonist, had received an assignment to move to Germany, leaving us on November 8. And MSgt Ryan Heseltine, our unparalleled French horn player, retired at the end of the year. On top of all that, in September I was given an assignment to move to Japan the following summer. Some farewells are more difficult to endure than others, though all seem to have varied brands of profound emotion. In contrast to saying good-bye to a loved one who passes away, all of these farewells were joyful, albeit poignant. “Farewell Celebration� is dedicated to my son Paul, to my outstanding professional colleagues, Ben Kadow and Ryan Heseltine, and to all our friends and family members who we left behind as we moved to Japan.