10,000 Reasons

This woodwind quintet (with opt. parts) is constantly on the move. While the melodic material is always made aware, the accompanying parts are full of movement. Even with metrical changes there is a constant flow giving a sense confidence and resolve. It bubbles from beginning to end and finally makes a solid statement of assurance.

A traditional brass quintet with opt. trumpet for horn and extra baritone for use as a sextet. The piece takes off immediately with a thematic statement in the trombone, breaking in a duet with the horn. Additional entries keep massing in the lower voices until most of the ensemble is involved. All of a sudden, the upper brass, silently present the tune in block harmonies until the lower brass present a countermelody. Now! Everybody’s involved. Next, a dialog between the upper brass and middle brass takes place as it alternates back and forth. With a modulation in place the tempo goes slow, the tune is in the lower brass- expressive! All of a sudden from bottom to top motives are presented- in stacked chords…. This goes through different transformations until the piece elevates into an uplifting conclusion.

2-trp; hn; 2-trb; opt: Trp.III; BH-TC; tba

Opening with a fanfare, the first section is in block harmonization with some moving lines. It then moves into melodic statements in the lower instruments with supported obiligatti in the trumpets and horn. The structure again becomes solid in scoring only to return with similar trumpet obbligati. The obbligati is next introduced in the lower voices and then increased rhythmic activity in all voices builds to a solid ending.