Count Your Blessings

A traditional brass quintet with an optional baritone part which allows to be a sextet as well. The beginning is active establishing a happy beginning to the piece. Then all the parts are in straight harmonies and then become fragmented. A modulation takes place allowing the lower voices to carry the tune. Then a tuba sola solo commences with light upper parts decorating the lines, until the parts fragment. This concludes with a modulation with motivic statements. After a brief intermission the piece takes off again with the tune in the lower voices and the trumpets add a flurry descants. As the piece comes to a close more and more voices add to the mix until the pieces adds a solid, grand statement.

A standard brass quintet with optional baritone for a sextet. The introduction starts in the tuba and then adds more voices as you would expect- rising! The tune is now bantered about between the upper voices and then lower ones. Modulation! And the Q&A game continues. Another modulation and the tempo suddenly changes to a slower, expressive one with the French horn featured. As before the Q&A continues. Another modulation and an “a tempo” where the piece now in full ensemble starts lower and softer and continually adds activity and pitch raising until a vigorous conclusion.

A standard brass quintet with optional trumpet for horn. As one might expect the piece is cheerful from beginning to end. It opens with rhythmic patterns where the first statement of the tune is presented by the trombone. The chorus is harmonically in block format where it comes to an end. NOW, something different the second trumpet and tuba present a simple accompaniment while all the other voice, yes voices, sing the words and melody of the song! A brief conclusion, a modulations and the piece returns to the texture of the earlier statement. The a bit of tongue and check statements and a very conclusive ending.

(std+ opt)(opt quartet) Joy To The World; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlmn; Angels We Have Heard On High; O Little Town Of Bethlehem

Scored for traditional brass quintet, an optional bartione part can be used to expand the piece to a sextet. After an opening upper brass fanfare, the lower parts present the theme in solemn fashion with further extended fanfares from the upper lines. The middle section reverses the stylistic assignments only to be given back to the opening styles. The with a powerful stacking of parts the piece concludes in a triumphant chord.