Good King Wenceslas: Brass Quintet Score & Parts

A carol filtered through a 1950s jukebox. The familiar melody emerges from a swinging, bluesy backdrop, complete with that driving bass pulse and syncopated chords that make you want to move. It's reverent enough to keep the carol's dignity but loose enough to have real fun.

Brass quintets at the intermediate level who want to program something festive but don't want to play it straight. This works especially well if your ensemble has rhythm section experience or if you enjoy blending classical instrument voices with vernacular American styles.

• Establish the boogie groove with the bass player first. Have the tuba player lock the rhythmic pocket before the other voices layer in; this foundation makes everything else sit properly.
• Balance the middle voices carefully so the guitar-style accompanying figures stay transparent rather than drowning out soloists. These parts are texture, not melody.
• If your ensemble chooses the improvisation option for the blues section, spend time beforehand exploring minor pentatonic shapes and blues phrasing so soloists feel confident departing from the written notes.

This pairs naturally with other holiday or concert closers that have rhythmic energy. Consider it as a bridge between traditional seasonal programming and something more contemporary in style. The optional drum set part also makes it ideal if you want to showcase a percussionist in a brass context.

• Groove-based rhythm reading and feel (swing and boogie patterns)
• Accompanying techniques (sustaining harmonic texture behind soloists)
• Blues changes and pentatonic improvisation
• Style-specific articulation and phrasing (1950s rockabilly character)
• Balance and blend in ensemble settings with strong rhythmic driving parts