Exultate Deo: Brass Choir Score & Parts

Arrangers Don Sweete has distilled Massaino's gift for brass sonority into a work that sounds far grander than its scoreboard suggests. Five players can produce the kind of unified, resonant power that typically requires a larger group, making this an efficient choice for schools managing limited instrumentation. The Renaissance origins give your program historical depth without sacrificing the immediate impact your audience will feel.

Exultate Deo radiates the solemn grandeur of Renaissance ceremonial music, built on interlocking brass sonorities that feel noble and assured. The work unfolds with architectural dignity, each chord placed with intention, creating an immersive wash of brass tone that feels far more ambitious than the modest instrumentation suggests.

High school brass ensembles with steady trumpet and trombone players will find this work both musically substantial and technically accessible. It suits schools looking to program Renaissance music without requiring a separate vocal ensemble or overextending advanced students.

• Balance the three trombones as a unified low voice rather than three soloists. They anchor the harmonic foundation, so their blend matters more than individual projection.
• The three trumpet parts contain the primary melodic interest. Shape these lines as you would a single voice, attending to the natural breathing points and phrase arcs across all three players.
• Honor the Renaissance harmonic rhythm, which moves in blocks rather than constant motion. Resist the urge to push tempos; allow the weight of Massaino's chords to settle and resonate.
• If using the alternate trombone part for horn, adjust the overall brightness by choosing that option deliberately. The horn option slightly softens the low end; the trombone keeps it darker and more unified with the ensemble's core sound.

This arrangement works beautifully as a concert opener or closer, establishing a ceremonial mood that commands attention. Pair it with other Renaissance or early Baroque works to create a historical programming block, or use it to showcase your brass section's refinement and ensemble balance at a festival.

• Balancing chord tones within a five-part harmonic texture
• Sustaining steady tone across extended passages without crescendo
• Reading and executing Renaissance-era harmonic rhythm and phrasing
• Blending trumpet and trombone sections across a single musical line