Contrapunctus No. 3 (from The Art of the Fugue, BWV 1080): 5 Trumpets & Bass Clef Instrument Score & Parts

Marlatt's arrangement opens Bach's monumental Art of the Fugue to trumpet ensembles, preserving the intricate contrapuntal voices while leveraging the homogeneous tone of like instruments. The result is both intellectually engaging and viscerally satisfying—students hear how Bach's interwoven lines build strength through their architectural precision rather than through harmonic color alone.

Intellectual and driving. The piece builds momentum through the relentless logic of Bach's counterpoint; each voice answers the last with inevitability, creating a sense of purposeful architecture. Yet underneath the technical rigor runs a current of almost hypnotic intensity.

Accomplished trumpet ensembles with secure high school or college-level players who can handle medium-difficult passages with independence. Directors seeking substantial repertoire that bridges technical development and musical literacy will find this piece demands both.

• Balance the five trumpet lines with particular attention to which voice carries the primary subject at each moment; resist the urge to make any single voice dominate throughout.
• Mark entrances clearly in rehearsal, especially where fugal voices overlap; Bach's counterpoint rewards meticulous alignment from the ensemble.
• Shape phrases across the entire ensemble as a single organism; even though multiple trumpets play simultaneously, think of the piece as one unified musical statement unfolding over time.

This works exceptionally well as a festival or contest selection where judges reward sophisticated ensemble musicianship and clarity of form. It also pairs naturally in a concert that explores how Baroque masterworks translate across instruments or instruments, perhaps alongside a modern brass work that engages similar contrapuntal ideas.

• Following and executing independent melodic lines within a complex polyphonic texture
• Balancing multiple simultaneous voices to achieve clarity without hierarchy
• Recognizing and entering fugal subjects accurately across staggered entries
• Sustaining long phrases with consistent tone quality and intonation
• Reading and performing articulation patterns that support contrapuntal clarity