Wonderful Grace of Jesus

A vigorous piece that begins with extraneous thematic material that goes through various transformations that eventually breaks open to the theme of the title. An exciting brass ensemble that’s certain to please an audience of various venues.

A brass sextet scored for two trumpets, horn, trombone, baritone and tuba (and opt. trp for horn). The style is a takeoff of traditional naval tunes. The first section presents the tune in a jovial manner with interludes by the upper brass and continues with motives passed around the various voices. A modulation takes place with thematic material in the lower brass. Now, little snippets of patterns passed around until another modulation leading to material like the beginning. Then a playful exchange of lines leading up to a final kicker.

This piece starts out in a plaintive style in the upper brass and then is responded in like kind by the lower brass. The second section transposes up a step and with more contrapuntal design giving more tension only to settle down to a sense of consolation.

(brass bnd opt parts)