Fanfare Grandioso: Brass Quintet Score & Parts

Marlatt has written a piece that actually sounds like a concert opener rather than sounding like one is trying to be. The contemporary harmonies engage listeners without alienating your quintet members, and the work respects both the power and the precision the instrumentation demands.

Grandioso in both name and substance. The piece commands attention from the first note with confident brass sonorities and contemporary harmonic language that never loses sight of lyricism. There is ceremony here, but it avoids pretense.

Established brass quintets looking for concert material that opens strong without requiring virtuosic technique. This works equally well for university ensemble programs and community brass groups seeking contemporary repertoire that connects with general audiences.

• Balance the harmonic colors across the five voices. Brass quintet writing often exposes imbalances in blend immediately, so mark dynamic relationships carefully in rehearsal.
• Attend to attacks and releases as a unified gesture. The opening moments set the tone for the entire work, so invest time in synchronized articulation.
• Use the score to understand the harmonic movement underneath the surface. Knowing where the piece is heading harmonically helps each player shape their individual line with purpose.

Program this as your concert opener to establish energy and focus from the start. It pairs naturally with other contemporary brass quintet works or serves as an effective bridge between classical repertoire and more experimental pieces later in a program.

• Brass quintet balance and blend in contemporary harmonic contexts
• Unified ensemble articulation and synchronized releases
• Reading and interpreting contemporary musical notation and phrasing marks
• Part independence within a cohesive ensemble texture