Let Us Rejoice: Brass Quintet Score & Parts

Hilfiger's arrangement respects the hymn tune's spiritual weight while giving every player genuinely engaging material to work with. It's rare to find a sacred arrangement that works equally well in a Sunday service and a regional competition without feeling split between two worlds.

The arrangement carries the hymn's inherent dignity and spiritual character, but Hilfiger's variations keep the ear engaged with fresh harmonic and rhythmic ideas. You hear reverence alongside celebration, making it feel both grounded in tradition and musically forward-thinking.

Brass quintet ensembles ready to move beyond unison arrangements and into writing that demands independent musicianship from each player. This works for established quintet programs seeking fresh repertoire for both worship contexts and recital stages.

• Balance the melody carefully when it moves between parts; the arrangement distributes thematic material across all five voices, so tracking who has the tune prevents it from disappearing.
• Shape the dynamic contour of each variation distinctly. The contrast between reverent and triumphant sections depends on precise control of the ensemble's collective volume and intensity.
• Rehearse the rhythmic figures in each variation separately before playing them alongside other parts. The interest comes from independent rhythmic writing, not unison, so clarity requires deliberate part-by-part prep.
• Tune carefully on sustained notes and chords, particularly in the hymn tune passages. Intonation lapses stand out immediately when the material is as familiar and reverent as this one is.

Program this as a centerpiece for a recital that mixes sacred and secular work, or use it to bridge a worship service and a concert setting on the same program. Its theme-and-variations structure makes it substantial enough for a full set closer without requiring an extended intermission.

• Playing individual parts within ensemble variations while maintaining harmonic cohesion
• Balancing melody and countermelody across five distinct voices
• Shaping dynamic arcs across multiple sections with different textural demands
• Sustaining intonation accuracy on longer harmonic passages
• Responding to style shifts from reverent to triumphant within a single piece