With A Grateful Heart (Solo Eb,F)

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 woodwind quintet with opt. parts for Alto Sax and Bass Clar. This piece presents itself with a sense of joy throughout with the introduction itself in a motivic manner setting the tone. The melody is fragmented, passing the tune around to the various voices. The middle section mirrors the introduction in texture and again passes melodic material around the different voices. The final section is more subdued until it starts stacking the motifically structured parts until it ascends to a dramatic conclusion.

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.

Be ye thankful! Written for standard woodwind quintet with optional parts, this piece is highly decorated melodically and active rhythmically. It gives both the sense of majesty and joy.

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