Five Fantasies for Brass Choir Op. 70 No. 2: Brass Ensemble

Hovhaness's approach to brass writing here feels fresh precisely because it sidesteps the bombast often associated with the medium. These fantasies prize lyricism and modal color over virtuosity, giving ensemble players room to find nuance and blend rather than compete for dominance. It's the kind of score that reminds your brass section why they chose the instrument in the first place.

These fantasies unfold like a conversation in a minor key, full of yearning and introspection. The brass voices sing more than they shout, and modal inflections create moments of unexpected harmonic color that linger after they resolve.

Brass ensembles with solid fundamentals and a willingness to move beyond mainstream programming. Directors seeking repertoire that challenges players musically without requiring Olympic technique will find this particularly rewarding.

• Treat the harmonic progressions as static, meditative landscapes rather than functional harmony. Resist the impulse to drive forward; let each chord register fully before moving to the next.
• Balance individual voices carefully in the ensemble. Hovhaness often weaves independent lines through the texture, and clarity serves the music far better than blend that obscures the counterpoint.
• Respect the modal character by listening for the tonal center rather than expecting a clear tonic-dominant relationship. This rewires how brass players listen to intonation and voice leading.

Pair this with other 20th-century works that value restraint and modal harmony (Penderecki, Arvo Pärt) for a concert exploring non-functional harmony. It also works beautifully as an opening number to set a contemplative mood before more conventional pieces.

• Singing sustained tones with consistent vibrato and intonation across chord changes
• Reading and responding to modal harmony rather than functional chord progressions
• Balancing individual lines within a homogeneous ensemble texture
• Understanding phrasing in music without strong metric drive
• Listening critically to blend and register distribution