Believe Me if All Those Endearing Young Charms: Brass Quintet Score & Parts

Nostalgic and gentle, with the unhurried character of a well-loved folk song. The piece carries warmth and familiarity while allowing each brass voice to blend into a cohesive sound, creating the intimate quality this Irish melody deserves.

Young brass quintets preparing for their first concert or looking for substantial warmup material that doesn't feel like technical drill. This arrangement works well for groups at the early intermediate stage who need repertoire that builds confidence without overwhelming technical demands.

• Balance the melody line across the ensemble; this tune relies on its singability, so resist the temptation to bury it in harmonic texture.
• Take time to align the quintet's blend and intonation during the sustained passages. The simplicity of the arrangement makes tuning issues more apparent.
• Shape the phrasing as though the brass quintet is singing the text, even though it's instrumental. This folk melody deserves breath and direction.

Open a concert with this piece to establish a warm, approachable tone before moving into more substantial works. Its status as a beloved folk standard also makes it an excellent choice for community concert settings or as the centerpiece of a program built around traditional music.

• Balancing melody and harmony in an ensemble setting
• Blending and intonation tuning across five voices
• Phrasing and musical shape at a moderate tempo
• Reading and executing a score with five coordinated parts