johannhowitzer writes for Brass Quintet!

I've been working on this for a week or so now. It's getting pretty good, and it's nearly done, so I'd like some critique, especially from those familiar with the brass quintet idiom.

This is a surprise arrangement for my senior recital - my mom won't know about it until she gets here. It's an arrangement of one of her many, many songs.

Nine downloads and no feedback... *sigh*

I appear to be the only one on this forum with anything written for brass quintet. I guess it must not be all that popular? Well, for what it's worth, here's an updated version. I've greatly improved the playback.

I like your piece. I play piano but my great uncles played french horn in the NBC Symphony Orchestra so I've been exposed to brass music. I'm no expert but I thought that the structure of the piece was interesting and the instruments parts fit together well.

Hi, johannhowitzer

I listend to the a "Heart that stands" and even though i don't know much about brass, here is my opinion:

the intro has a neat melody, and it developes itself beautifuly up to 2:00 and the horn solo. The heroic hymn-like melody at 2:37 kape unexpected, but it's really nice and breaks the provious monotone harmony. the piece developes nicely and never gets boring or stale, as dynamics increase and instruments play richer parts. the trumpet solo at the ending was ok, though i think it could use some follow.

All in all a very epic piece, but emotional all the same. However i must tell you my computers midi interpretatin abbilities are low, so i might have missed some of your piece's original glory. If you make an mp3, let us know.

When I was at UNT, I shall a brass group played(10 brass players), and they playd a piece that has this lyrical quality! The midi really takes away from the sound, but that is too be expected. I think you did some good work here. I love how it is constant, minus some minor dissonance that take away from the piece.

Personally, I am not a fan of the parts around 3 minutes. It sticks out like a sore thumb, but other than that great job!

Thanks for the comments! Yes, the section around 3:00 is what I still have to re-voice. Other than that, it's done! Maybe in the spring I'll post a nice MP3 of the performance!

Hi, Johan. No, you're not the only one writing for brass quintet. I've been constructing a suite. The first movement is for the most part what I generally want and will move some things around later. The second is incomplete, but really has the intensity I'm aiming for. By the way, I loved your piece. Very beatiful.

Surprise Arrangement - This is a very stately piece! I think it is very lovely, and by putting it into a brass quintet as you have done, it sounds even better! This is the sort of music that brass can enoble.

I am not proficient enough with brass instruments to tell you whether you've made any mistkes or anything, but I do think that you've done a very good job. Nothing in it sounds distinctively unbrass-like at the very least!

A Heart That Stands - This is also quite a noble opening. No great fanfare, merely a broad declamation of something pure. This is not Elgarian, but more earthy. A far more fitting emotive for romance. I love the chords you have, and the way they slowly resolve. Most excellent. At plaes, I almost expect a few good hymns to pop out of the music in fact!

Ooh, I love the broader heroic qulaity to the music that comes at 2:30. I now feel as if I stand upon a grassy knoll overlooking a throng of woodlands men and women who depend upon me for their survival. I feel like Robin Hood actually when listening to that part.

Ah, but it was temporary, as it slides into the more introspective theme again. Still, I can feel that ancient air in the tones as they wind their way through the hymn.

Overall, this is an excellent work. I truly hope that you can get this performed!

This is very long-overdue, sorry if necro-posting this far back bothers people. I promised a recording, as you can see above, but my poor recording technician during the Senior Recital was also my tuba player, and when he left the booth he forgot to hit record! Thus there is no live recording, but I will submit here an MP3 created with Finale. It is far better than MIDI, of course.

Any comments are appreciated, but not necessary. I'm posting this really only because I said I would and I thought people would enjoy hearing it, not to solicit feedback - the arrangement is in its final form and I am perfectly happy with it (something I can't say of many of my works!).

Link to the MP3 here.