Brass

Brass
View as List Grid

11 Items

Set Descending Direction
  1. Benediction

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Quartet Instruments: Euphonium, Tuba
    Genre: Contemporary
    A beutiful melody that would world equally well on a recital stage or in a church. Learn More

    From $17.00

    To $34.00

  2. Caravaggio

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Solo Instruments: Trombone
    Genre: Contemporary

    unaccompanied

    From the composer:

    Caravaggio for solo trombone was composed in 2015 for Mark Hetzler, Professor of Trombone at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is a four-movement work of about 9 minutes in length. The work was inspired by the incredible artistry of the Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610). His work, ahead of its time in many ways, changed the visual art world forever and has served as inspiration for generations of artists the world over. I see many similarities between his “outside the box” artistry and that of trombonist Mark Hetzler, whose performances and recordings are stunning, eclectic and instrumental in breaking new ground for the trombone.

    The movements are titled after four elements of Caravaggio’s painting that stand out to me- Realism, Shadow, Vulgarity and Light. I also see these as elements of Mark Hetzler’s performances. Although I have made many indications to steer the performer in certain directions musically, I also hope and expect that each performer will approach this piece with a passion and abandon that will result in a musical performance that is about much more than notes, rhythms and dynamics. This work is a vehicle for the trombone soloist to be as expressive as possible. A look at the works of Caravaggio, particularly in context with the other well known painters of the time, should provide substantial inspiration.

    I. Realism

    II. Shadow

    III. Vulgarity

    IV. Light

     

    Learn More

    From $18.95

    To $37.90

  3. Fanfare for a Friend

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Quintet Instruments: Euphonium, Tuba
    Genre: Contemporary
    5 Tubas; for Dietrich Unkrodt and the Berlin Tubists Learn More

    From $15.00

    To $30.00

  4. Five Muses

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Solo and Piano Instruments: Piano, Tuba
    Genre: Contemporary

    with Piano

    From the composer:

    The nine classic Greek Muses were the goddesses of inspiration for literature, science and the arts. In current English language, a “muse” is usually a person who inspires an artist, writer or musician. As a verb, the term refers to being absorbed in thought in a meditative, and perhaps inconclusive, way. These thoughts or, in this case, the movements of this work, may be referred to as “musings”.

     

    For the titles of the complete work and each movement, I chose the five Muses most closely associated with the performance of music and then ordered them in a way that seemed to create a composition with shape, direction and balance. Each Muse is represented in Greek mythology by a symbol.

    Euterpe (Song) Aulos (a flute-like musical instrument)

    Terpsichore (Dance) Lyre (a harp-like string instrument)

    Melpomene (Tragedy) The classic tragic mask

    Thalia (Comedy) The classic comic mask

    Erato (Lyric Poetry) Cithara (a musical instrument in the lyre family)

    The arrangement of the movements in this order results in a work that has the somewhat unusual tempo structure of “slow-fast-slow-fast-slow”. Given that these are musical “musings”, it seemed appropriate to end on a thoughtful note rather than having the more typical big finish.

    The character of each movement is, of course, inspired by association with the Muse of the title. “Euterpe” emphasizes melody, while “Terpsichore” is driven by rhythm. “Melpomene” has a sad quality, with “Thalia” being something of a zany romp. “Erato” concludes the work with a lyricism and thoughtfulness, and perhaps most closely depicts the act of musing. The composition as a whole is meant to showcase the lyrical, sonorous and technical capabilities of the tuba, with the piano sometimes being an equal chamber partner and sometimes in a more accompanying role.

     

    Learn More

    From $21.95

    To $43.90

  5. Hearts Entwined

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Quartet Instruments: Euphonium, Tuba
    Genre: Contemporary
    Composed for wedding of Katie and Griffin Learn More

    From $15.00

    To $30.00

  6. Kleinhammer Sonata, The

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Solo and Piano Instruments: Bass Trombone, Piano
    Genre: Contemporary

    with Piano

    When commissioned to compose The Kleinhammer Sonata for bass trombone and piano, the launch of the project coincided with the passing of one of the great icons of the low brass world, longtime Chicago Symphony Orchestra bass trombonist Edward Kleinhammer. The members of the consortium and I were in complete agreement that it would be most appropriate to dedicate this work to him. I only met Ed once, but like all low brass players of my generation, I grew up revering his playing and all he did to raise the profile of the bass trombone as an important instrument in its own right. I consider it to be a particularly special honor to be asked to compose a work in his memory.

    As with my earlier sonatas, this work is in the classic fast-slow-fast, three movement form, and is very much a chamber work for bass trombone and piano, rather than being a solo with piano accompaniment. The goal of all my brass sonatas is to portray the capabilities of power, beauty, agility and musicality of the brass instrument in dialogue with a piano part that is interesting and meaningful to the mood of the work beyond just an accompanying role. Music for me is about color, texture, mood, motion, emotion, direction, and, above all, the energy created through the creation and release of tension. There is one particular element of writing for the bass trombone that separates this work from the others. While the other brass instruments, even the tuba, often create their most climactic moments by soaring into the upper register, a bass trombonist (like a bass vocalist) is anxious to show off the low end of the idiomatic range. I endeavored to keep that in mind as I created the moods and energies of this work.

    The first movement has a slow introduction that serves to introduce the sound and color of the bass trombone in juxtaposition with the high end of the piano. This leads to an Allegro with a great deal of rhythmic drive (typical of my music) that features primarily the power and agility of the bass trombone. The energy continues to build until the pace slows to a solo trombone cadenza (like a monologue in a play) that precedes the most energetic (perhaps even manic) section of the movement. A return to some of the opening material brings the movement to a slow and soft conclusion that serves as a bridge to the next movement.

    The second movement is the portion of the piece most directly associated with the dedication to Edward Kleinhammer. I was made aware that one of his very favorite orchestral works was Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 (The Resurrection), so I elected to use material from that work for this memorial part of the sonata. In the short, fourth movement of his symphony, Mahler employed an alto vocalist singing a beautiful song from Das Knaben Wunderhorn, the text of which illuminates the longing for relief from worldly woes. It seemed appropriate to use this vocal line, with a number of small rhythmic alterations, as the basis for this movement. I even kept it in the original, somber key of Db major. Using original keys is rarely a concern for me, but in this case it seemed ideally suited to the right sound and mood for the bass trombone. The piano “accompaniment” is completely different, and very unlike the Mahler, resulting in a kind of “fantasy” on the Wunderhorn song. It is my hope that the music is perceived as having a simple reverence and recollective nature with a solemn quality to honor Ed’s passing, yet a beauty to celebrate his life.

    The third movement is intended to create an energetic, agile, fast-paced finale that relentlessly brings the work home in exciting fashion. Once again, there is a pause for a trombone cadenza prior to the last hurrah. This solo passage reiterates the opening material of the first movement. In addition to that being a structural component of the work, it is also intended as a reminder of the cyclical nature of life. Though Ed Kleinhammer is no longer with us, his personal and musical legacy lives on.

    Learn More

    From $24.95

    To $49.90

  7. RISE

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Solo Instruments: Tuba
    Genre: Contemporary

    unaccompanied

    From the composer:

    RISE was composed in May 2021 for David Zerkel, Professor of Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Michigan. It was written to serve as a fast paced, “here I am” opening announcement for the program on Professor Zerkel’s new recording of my music on the Potenza Music label. RISE features the technical agility and range of the tuba, but is primarily intended to showcase the energy and intensity that can be produced by the largest of the brass instruments.

    Learn More

    From $14.99

    To $29.98

  8. Silver and Brass

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Quartet Instruments: Euphonium, Tuba
    Genre: Contemporary

    EETT

    From the composer:

    Silver and Brass was composed by John Stevens in December, 2015 and January 2016 for the distinguished British tuba/euphonium quartet “Tubalate” in celebration of their 25th anniversary. The title pays homage to both the anniversary (silver) and the nature of the group’s instruments (brass). The five short vignettes are meant to be played separately, as an opening fanfare and subsequent interludes between more substantial works on a given program. The inspirations for this format are the Promenades in Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”, with each interlude transporting the listener from one larger work to another. However, the piece may also be performed as a unified, five-movement work, with the first and fifth movements acting as a Prologue and Epilogue respectively.

    The interludes are intentionally contrasting in tempo and style and can be performed in whatever order makes the most musical sense given the nature of the more substantial works on a program. If the movements are performed as a single work, they should be played in the order in which they appear in the score. The primary unifying aspect of the piece is the reliance on meters in five. Each movement begins in either 5/8 or 5/4, and the entire work is dominated by those meters. This is simply another way to pay homage to the Promenades of Mussorgsky’s great work.

    I have been fortunate to have a long and wonderful relationship, of both musical collaboration and personal friendship with the members of Tubalate. Congratulations to them on the milestone of having been one of the world’s leading brass chamber ensembles for a quarter of a century.

    Learn More

    From $19.95

    To $39.90

  9. Viva Voce!

    Composer: Stevens, John
    Instrumentation: Quartet Instruments: Euphonium, Tuba
    Genre: Contemporary

    From $17.00

    To $34.00

View as List Grid

11 Items

Set Descending Direction