Brass Quartet no. 1, w/ Recording

Edit: Actually, here's the link right here: SoundClick artist: VerdiLver's - page with MP3 music downloads

*The recording is on the next page.

This is a piece I was commissioned to write by a fellow classmate; he and three other brass players are going to play it in a concert of new music May 1st. I was pretty rushed to finish this (just ask Daniel, I was up past 4AM regularly :P) but I finished it in time for rehearsals and they started working on it last Thursday (I got to conduct them the first two times through :D). So here's the piece with MIDI and EWQL samples, I'll get a recording sometime in May.

Hope you enjoy it!

SoundClick artist: VerdiLver's - page with MP3 music downloads

SoundClick artist: VerdiLver's - page with MP3 music downloads

Brass Quartet.MUS

Finale 2008a - [Brass Quartet.MUS].pdf

Brass Quartet.MID

That was nice, but the nastiest midi ever. :P

I'll be able to hear the Mp3 in a wee while, so I'm sure that will improve things.

Some nice harmony in this, and it built up a good sense of motion about half way through, although this was perhaps cut a little short - I'd have liked more of that, and maybe a build-up into something.

Those high Bs in the tpt are a total scallop to play at piano and especially without being lead into - but you've got an Mp3, so I'll assume the players managed. :P

(Oh wait, I just read it's an EWQL Mp3 - never mind)

I think this slow bit works well, but it could become a lot more if it lead into, say, an Allegro section/movement. There's no reason not to write a full sized quartet - just let the players play this Adagio, but add more movements to make a full piece.

Good work - and what seems pretty playable work, so good job!

What were the players' comments?

yeah, I have the MIDI just for completeness :P. Definitely listen to the MP3(s) when you get the chance, they're at least infinitely better than the MIDI.

I agree with what you said, about it being cut short and stuff, but of course I had to cut it short because of time issues :P. I would've liked a faster section but I just had to finish it :(.

The players really liked it, though, they said...a few complaints about low notes and high notes, but for the most part they were comfortable with it, they thought it fit into their program nicely, too. I think I'll definitely go and write some more movements for this, though with more time I'd probably want to plan out a whole new piece. Anyway, thanks for the comment :happy:

That was nice, but the nastiest midi ever. :P

I'll be able to hear the Mp3 in a wee while, so I'm sure that will improve things.

Some nice harmony in this, and it built up a good sense of motion about half way through, although this was perhaps cut a little short - I'd have liked more of that, and maybe a build-up into something.

Those high Bs in the tpt are a total scallop to play at piano and especially without being lead into - but you've got an Mp3, so I'll assume the players managed. :P

(Oh wait, I just read it's an EWQL Mp3 - never mind)

I think this slow bit works well, but it could become a lot more if it lead into, say, an Allegro section/movement. There's no reason not to write a full sized quartet - just let the players play this Adagio, but add more movements to make a full piece.

Good work - and what seems pretty playable work, so good job!

What were the players' comments?

If you have decent enough players, that part is fine. I mean really, the trumpet parts are perfectly playable, I don't know what kind of players you've been dealing with.

Good! Do write more movements!

The mp3 was positively gorgeous compared to the midi, although it still messed some dynamics up.

Small note: 1st tpt bar 50, the G natural is better as an F double sharp.

just out of curiosity are the trumpets playing C trumpets? The pedal E you have is still a pedal note on C in measure 64. Its doable depending on the players but it won't have that trumpet sound per say. Also do you by chance have a tuba player lying around. Its more common to have a brass quintet (2 tpts, horn, bone, and tuba). If possible I think that could possibly add more to this piece, and it would allow you to revoice some lines (the pedal notes for instance) and really fill the piece out. Its a very good piece, nice harmonies and line direction. Can't wait to hear a recording.

There are a lot of things I love about this piece. That building opening chord, followed by a moment of silence before being taken up again and morphed harmonically, really whetted my appetite to hear more.

The harmonies and moving parts in places like measure 13-20 and 60-63, and even the dissonance of places like around measures 28-30, are movingly beautiful, especially sustained as they are.

I love the colour change when you have the trombone and horn exchange the same notes in successive phrases.

The only thing I really didn't like about this piece was the ending. In my opinion, if you're going to build quickly to a dissonant climax like that after such a long, lyrical reverie, you'd better be going someplace else - like a contrasting section (I agree with Daniel, by the way, that this would be great as part of a larger work); or the climax itself could be the contrast, but make a denouement back to the lyrical material and end much as you began. But after all that loveliness, an ending like that disappointed me.

Even so, I enjoyed listening to this very much.

:O....a review from the great JLeeGraham himself! I am honored :blush:...

First of all, let me say thank you for noticing the switches between trombone and horn, I wrote that quite deliberately and am very glad you were able to pick up on that. After hearing your thoughts on the ending, along with Daniel's, I think I've decided I'm definitely going to come back to this piece, probably this summer, and add a couple more movements. I personally think the ending can work, if you look at it in a certain way (a weird way, but that's the way I am :P) but I still agree with everything you've said. Thanks so much much the comment(s)!

To answer your question Kendall, yes, they're C trumpets, I was specifically asked to use them. I know the E is low, but I love that low trumpet sound...the little canon at the end (yes, it's a canon, in case you didn't know) builds to the final climax/chord/ending, so I thought it appropriate to start low...the second trumpet player actually can't play that E, though...I'll have to ask if the first trumpet player can, if so I'll just switch those parts around, I suppose. Oh, and no tuba, that'd change the piece almost drastically, and it's a quartet I was asked to write for, not a quintet. Perhaps some day, I'll write one, but for now it'll have to be a quartet.

I'm glad you guys liked the piece!

(oh, and Daniel, I know those dynamics are screwed up :angry:...bothers me all the time!)

I do agree that the low trumpet sound is gorgeous when a player can play it, but thats beyond the "practical low trumpet sound" have your trumpet player play the finger combination 1-2-3 (fingering for F# below the staff) and kick the third slide out as far as he/she can and lip the note down. That'll give you the best shot of giving you the desired sound. If he/she has time there are some easy pedal tone exercises that can help them get down to that range with a full sound. Best wishes on your piece.

hey, yeah, thanks :happy:.

I am a trumpet player myself, and play in a brass quintet. Personally, there are sections of the trumpet parts that look very nasty to play, but as has already been established, if your players have no problem then there is none (good on them though).

In terms of the piece, I thought it was nice and well suited to the medium, but it felt a lot like a prelude. It would be a lot better if it actually led into something. I also hope that that vibrato in the midi was non-intentional, because vibrato to that extent in live performance could completely ruin the piece.

yeah, please do not take the MIDI or even the MP3 as how the final performance should sound ;). Which sections of trumpet did you have in mind? High/low notes? Morendo from B5, perhaps :P?

Anyway, yeah, I think the players should have an all right time with it. It is a bit "preludish", but again, I'll probably add some complements to it this summer, and by itself I suppose it could work as a prelude. The players are asking for a name for the piece, so I'll think of it in those terms, as a prelude or beginning of a larger piece :happy:.

*bump* *shrug*

Also, update: I'm going to be editing the ending a bit, make it flow a little bit better, since it's a tad abrupt. I think a slightly longer introduction to the canon, with harmony instead of silence, would work better than just straight going into it. The chords at the end are then more justified, as well. This should be up by the end of the weekend...

I've been thinking of the rest of the piece as well, and about adding an program to it. I didn't really write it with a program in mind, but with more of a general feeling or nature, though I think I have something that matches my original intent, and allows for the rest of the piece to built up nicely. I think it'll be 4 movements. Three movements will allow me to truly explore the ensemble of 2 trumpets, horn, and trombone :D....given the time I'll have over the summer, this should be more than feasible :happy:.

wow, this is a great piece! flows like a great river, peaceful, majestic. :) very nice!!!!!

thanks frantz, I'm glad you liked it :D.

Hey Dave, i'm not quite sure what I think of it! There's some satisfying dissonance, and the ''form'' overall is very much to my liking.. But still, i'm not sure... I'll have to let it sink in a bit, okay? :happy:

PS: I had listened to this before, on headphones where only the left side was functional (I always destroy them, without fail!!) so the experience wasn't quite as immersing as I would want it to be - i wanted to wait until i had access to something which could do it more justice. Now, however, I had the privilege of listening to it on.... crappy laptop speakers. :w00t:

I agree, this is a great little piece... and too short.

Your work is advancing in leaps and bounds. It's really a pleasure to see you evolve and grow as a composer.

There is great musicality in this piece.

:)

Thanks for listening QCcowboy, and I really appreciate the comments :blush:. I was particularly relieved to see the comment of musicality, which I find extremely important in music (for obvious reasons, I'd hope :P).

Also, Anders, I understand, sometimes first impressions aren't the best....certainly with my pieces it seems to be that the more you listen the more you like it :P (though the opposite might hold true for me...depends). Oh, and I've broken tons of headphones, too. They all seem to be Apple/iPod headphones...

The recital is tonight, and there'll be a recording session on Saturday, so a live version of this piece will be up soon! Wish me (us) luck!

Ok, so I've finally gotten the mp3 of the recital (no recording session though :() ready for you to listen! I thought they played pretty well, and of course was really thankful of them to do it. A few wrong notes and pacing/dynamics issues :hmmm:...but whatever. It's a live performance and that's what matters!

Hope you like it, and please listen along with the score :happy:!

Edit: aaand here it is :pinch:

SoundClick artist: VerdiLver's - page with MP3 music downloads

It is sickening that so few have reviewed and commented this piece. I absolutely loved it ! :D

My favourite Brass Quartet on YC so far :) I like the dissonances you create as well as the harmonies, it is nice to follow and very ambient. I absolutely adore ambient music :) As Michel stated this piece could so much longer and with that prolong the orgasmicness :shifty:

Well toodle-pip. Go and kick some sore donkey with your composing skills!

Thanks, Saiming :happy:!

I like to think of it more as "uncertain" or something, instead of "ambient", but you can think of it however you want ;).

thanks again for the comments! (I also wish more people would comment on this :p...)

Now that I've heard the recording, I like the piece even more. It has a very lush texture to it that gives it a moving, sweet character. Harmonies that sounded thin in the GPO version sound fuller and more appealing in the recording. Great piece!

Makes me think of a movie (a good movie!) , I really like the progression, its unusual, but not too strange.

Absolutely love it!!!!

Thanks, all of you :happy:.

Now that it's summer I'll be expanding on this piece, though over the course of June I first have to finish a couple of other, bigger pieces...I think I'll start coming up with ideas for the rest of the piece, though while I work on these other pieces. Might work a bit on a movement as well. Hopefully by the end of the summer I'll be finished expanding on this :).