First Suite in E-flat (Chaconne): Brass Quintet Score & Parts

David Marlatt's brass quintet transcription solves a real logistical problem: it lets ensembles without a full wind band deliver Holst's monumental chaconne with genuine weight and harmonic integrity. The scoring preserves the original's architecture while leaning into the brass quintet's natural warmth, making the inner voices feel as essential as the outer ones rather than buried.

Stately and grave. The chaconne's repeating bass line creates a hypnotic forward motion while the upper voices unfold with nobility and restraint. There's an architectural grandeur here that builds across the movement, balancing the intimate warmth of close brass voicing with moments of genuine power.

Intermediate to advanced brass quintets ready to tackle serious repertoire. This arrangement opens the First Suite to ensembles without access to a full wind band, making it accessible for chamber festivals, contest programming, and recitals where a major work is needed.

• Balance the piccolo trumpet against the e-flat trumpet in the exposed upper lines; the piccolo carries the original piccolo part but sits higher, so you may need to shade dynamics slightly depending on your space and hall acoustics.
• Treat the euphonium as a true voice in the harmonic fabric, not as a bass line support. Its warmth anchors the middle register and should be heard distinctly in the inner choir sections.
• Shape the chaconne progression with long-term phrasing across multiple statements of the bass line. Avoid letting each repetition feel isolated; instead, build cumulative weight and intensity.

Program this as a centerpiece on a mixed brass ensemble concert, pairing it with lighter or contrasting contemporary works to show range. It also fits naturally on a masterworks or classical appreciation program where you want to anchor the second half with something substantial and recognizable.

• Sustaining long melodic lines with consistent tone quality across upper brass
• Balancing three-voice harmonic textures in a compact ensemble
• Executing the chaconne form and understanding how variation over a ground bass creates large-scale architecture
• Ensemble intonation at the advanced level, particularly in close voicings