Concert Etude, Opus 49: Brass Quintet Score & Parts

David Marlatt's reimagining transforms a beloved solo into genuine chamber music without compromising the trumpet's technical demands. The brass quintet backdrop provides harmonic support and textural variety that a piano reduction simply cannot match, giving your ensemble a repertoire piece that develops accompaniment skills while letting your first trumpet shine.

Energy and brilliance dominate this work. The brisk tempo and rapid articulation create forward momentum, while the brass quintet's harmonic foundation lends warmth and gravitas beneath the trumpet's sparkling figurations. Moments of relative simplicity emerge within the technical passages, offering the soloist room to shape and breathe.

Trumpet players working toward festival or competition appearances will find both the solo line and the musical setting rewarding. Band and orchestra directors looking to program a solo feature that involves the entire brass section should consider this arrangement as a more sophisticated alternative to piano accompaniment.

• Build clarity in the double-tonguing passages by isolating them at slow tempo with clear articulation before bringing the speed up; the quintet's rhythmic foundation will tighten the solo line.
• Balance the trumpet against the four voices beneath it by having the supporting brass dial back dynamics in sections marked forte, ensuring the solo part cuts without the trumpet player forcing the sound.
• Mark phrase endings and breathing points in the solo part before rehearsal; the supporting quintet needs to breathe with the trumpet soloist to maintain musical cohesion across longer passages.
• Record a rehearsal and listen to how the timbre of the trumpet sits against the combined brass sound; adjustments to vibrato and tone color often make the difference between a performance and a memorable one.

Program this as a showcase feature within a brass concert or as a standalone recital piece with your quintet members. It works equally well as a season or semester finale, celebrating your ensemble's technical growth while demonstrating how a single outstanding player and a tight supporting section can anchor an entire performance.

• Double-tonguing articulation and speed
• Trumpet solo line projection and phrasing over ensemble accompaniment
• Brass quintet balance and rhythmic unity
• Extended lyrical passages at tempo
• Managing both technical display and musical musicality in a single work