Hungarian March (from the Damnation of Faust): Brass Quintet Score & Parts

This arrangement captures what makes Berlioz's original so arresting: relentless forward momentum, stark dynamic contrasts, and that unforgettable final punch. James Haynor's scoring for double brass quintet strips away nothing essential and actually sharpens the impact by letting brass dominate entirely. It's the kind of piece that reminds audiences why brass matters.

Defiant and propulsive, like a military procession with a revolutionary pulse underneath. The march breathes authority and forward momentum, building relentlessly toward an ending that doesn't apologize or hold back. It's theatrical without being overwrought.

Brass quintets with the firepower and musical maturity to handle Romantic-era writing at concert level. This works equally well for festival competition or concert programming when you need a showstopper that sits comfortably alongside other Romantic repertoire.

• Shape the opening march with deliberate articulation but never let the tempo drag; Berlioz demands forward propulsion even at softer dynamic levels.
• Balance the two quintets carefully during passages where they play simultaneously; each group should maintain independence while locking rhythmically.
• Coordinate with your bass drummer on the final explosive chords; this ending needs absolute precision and unified weight to land with full theatrical effect.
• Drill the dotted rhythms in the march theme until they sit perfectly between snap and elegance; sloppy dotting kills the character instantly.

Program this as a mid-concert igniter when you need to recapture audience attention, or close a set with it if you want to leave them energized. It pairs naturally with other Romantic-era brass writing and works as either a standalone feature or part of a thematic concert exploring 19th-century orchestral color.

• Coordinating ensemble balance when two brass quintets play simultaneously
• Interpreting Romantic-era articulation and phrasing conventions in brass writing
• Sustaining forward momentum through repeating march rhythms
• Executing clean rhythmic precision in dotted figures
• Building and executing dramatic dynamic contrasts over extended phrases