Let the Bright Seraphim: Brass Quintet Score & Parts

$15.00 USD

Let the Bright Seraphim: Brass Quintet Score & Parts

Name: Let the Bright Seraphim: Brass Quintet Score & Parts
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 81-BQ26244
Price: 15.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By George Frederic Handel / arr. David Marlatt

Level: Medium-Difficult

Item: 81-BQ26244

$15.00

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For years, trumpet players have aligned themselves with solo singers, especially sopranos, to perform the great Baroque repertoire for trumpet and voice. Organ reductions were created to replace the string parts making this great pairing more portable. Now these terrific trumpet and voice duets can be played by a standard brass quintet. The solo trumpet part remains the same (also allowing for performance on natural trumpet) and the remainder of the quintet performs the string parts. The 2nd trumpet performs on flugel horn to create a greater cohesion within the ensemble allowing for the bright piccolo (or natural) trumpet sound to float above the ensemble in duet with the soprano.

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Series: Eighth Note Publications

Publisher: Eighth Note Publications

ISBN10: 1-55472-565-8

ISBN13: 978-1-55472-565-6

UPC: 685462002757

SKU: 81-BQ26244

Instrumentation: Brass Quintet & Soprano

More about this title

About the Composer: George Frederic Handel

Handel spent his career writing for the human voice and wrote across every vocal genre of his time: opera, oratorio, and sacred music. His trumpet writing emerged from the Baroque preference for high, brilliant brass that could cut through orchestral texture and rival singers for prominence. This piece exemplifies his mastery of that idiom, pairing the trumpet as a solo voice rather than as an ensemble instrument.

Born in Halle and trained in Italy before settling in London, Handel became the defining musical voice of 18th-century England. His works remain central to the vocal and instrumental canon, studied by singers and instrumentalists as foundational models of expressive writing and architectural clarity.

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Why we love this

This arrangement solves a real problem that ensembles face: the trumpet-soprano duet is treasured repertoire, but finding singers and managing string accompaniment makes it impractical for many groups. Marlatt's quintet version keeps the transparency and dialogue intact while making it genuinely playable. Brass quintets get to own Baroque masterwork repertoire, not just transcriptions of secondary material.

What to expect

Brilliant and ceremonial, with an intimate dialogue at its heart. The piccolo trumpet floats above the warmth of the flugel horn and lower brasses, creating a textural contrast that feels both stately and conversational. Handel's melodic gift shines through: the lines sing even when played on brass.

Who it's for

Brass quintets with access to a soprano soloist who wants to stretch beyond standard quintet repertoire. This works equally well for contest preparation or a concert program that reaches toward older literature. Natural trumpet players will particularly value the flexibility the solo part offers.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the 1st trumpet and soprano as equal conversationalists. The trumpet isn't accompanying; they're trading phrases. Let each voice breathe between entrances rather than rushing to fill space.
Shape the flugel horn inner harmony to support without overwhelming the piccolo trumpet's soloistic character. Think of the 2nd trumpet as creating depth rather than presence.
Maintain the structural clarity of Baroque phrase architecture. Handel's melodies breathe in predictable 2- and 4-bar units; honor those proportions in your phrasing and articulation.
Align your articulation language before rehearsing. Baroque style isn't modern legato or full separateness; it requires intentionality about where consonants land and how notes speak.

How to use it

Pair this with other sacred or processional works to create a concert section that highlights trumpet as a melodic voice. It's also an effective showcase piece for a competition or festival that values arrangement and ensemble cohesion. The medium-difficult level makes it appropriate for advancing high school groups or community quintets that have developed foundational ensemble skills.