From the Virginals collection, My Ladye Nevells Booke, produced in the late 16th century, this piece is an extension of the shorter 'point', in which a fragment of melodic material is briefly discussed. There are some swift runs, and the 1st part is a specialist Alto part (ascending to E).
The tempi and dynamics are mine, but I have retained Byrd's original barring. A guide to the Fitzwilliam Book ornaments can be found on my website at http://www.justbrass.co.uk/dtmusicuk.
Duration: 3' 40"
Difficulty: Suitable for strong amateur groups with an Alto player
Rimsky-Korsakov's famous (if short) piece, arranged for Trombone quartet. Very hard, but very impressive if it can be played (or bluffed) at anything above about crotchet = 160 or so. Everyone gets a bit of wibble, but the 3rd part is a bit easier than the others.
I would love to hear a recording if anyone does try it - we (the 1998-99 University of Warwick Trombone quartet) never dared to play it out!
Approximate duration 1 minute 10 seconds.
Arranger: Dave Taylor
A simple but beautiful four-part setting by English Renaissance master Thomas Tallis. The suggested tempo is mine, as are the dynamics.
Approximate duration 1 minute 35 seconds.
Scored for a brass ten-piece of 4 Trumpets, 1 Horn, 3 Trombones, 1 Euph and 1 Tuba, this is Bach's keyboard writing at its most florid; consequently it is not an easy piece to pull off, with much dovetailing of intricate passages. The final fugue subject, in particular, might have come straight from the Arban book of technical exercises!
Structurally, the piece breaks down into four main sections - a short opening flourish is followed by a gentle double fugue before a further declamatory section demands exact accuracy all around the ensemble. I've marked this section 'con rubato' with particular reference to the cadenza-like passages for various players. A virtuosic fugue brings the piece to a close.
All tempo markings in square brackets and dynamics are mine. Parts are included for Euphonium in Bass or Bb Treble clef.
Approximate duration:- 6 minutes 10 seconds
Difficulty:- Suitable for very strong amateur groups.
Arranged for a quartet of two Euphoniums and two bass Tubas, this is known as one of J.S. Bach's most famous works (BWV 565). However, a recent German study cast doubt on it's authorship, pointing to various idiosyncrasies used in no other Bach works. Whoever the composer was, this is still a tremendously atmospheric piece.
This arrangement was first performed by the University of Warwick Tuba Quartet at St. Barbara's Chuirch in Earlsdon, Coventry in 1998.
Parts are included for treble Bb and bass clef Euphoniums, bass clef and treble Eb Tubas, and a treble BBb part for Tuba 2.
Difficulty Rating: Playable by very strong amateur or pro groups.
For a Brass Octet of four Trumpets, two Tenor Trombones, and two Bass Trombones, arranged in two equal antiphonal choirs, the inspiration for this piece came from a playing workshop I attended in Oxford on the music of Giovanni Gabrieli (c.1555-1612).
The title pays homage to Gabrieli's 'Sonata pian' e forte', one of the first pieces to use written dynamics, and indeed dynamic contrasts create some of the most dramatic moments of the piece.
The players should be arranged in two opposing rows, angled so that both sides are pointing more or less towards the audience in front on the opposite side, with 1st Trumpets on the ends nearest the audience down to the Bass Trombones furthest from them (and closest to each other). There should be a gap of maybe five feet between the two Bass Trombonists, increasing up the line. The Conductor (if one is used - I would recommend doing so!) should stand in the middle of the stage (right to left) on an approximate level with the 1st Trumpets. For preference, all players should stand throughout.
Approximate duration 20-25 minutes.
