Shadows of the Pyramids, Movement III: 20 Trumpets & Percussion Score & Parts

Marlatt has created something genuinely rare: a substantial, serious work that harnesses the full potential of the trumpet ensemble without treating mutes and textural variety as gimmicks. The Egyptian mythology framing gives the piece narrative weight, and Movement III's focus on darker sonorities makes it feel like a complete artistic statement rather than an exercise. A director programming this gains immediate credibility with adjudicators and audiences alike.

Movement III descends into shadow and mystery. Muted trumpets create an otherworldly, subterranean atmosphere as the narrative ventures into Ra's nightly journey through the underworld. The writing is mysterious and occasionally unsettling, with carefully voiced chords that shimmer and shift rather than blaze. This is trumpet writing that prioritizes color and drama over high-register brilliance.

Trumpet ensembles at the college level and advanced high school programs seeking ambitious, musically substantive material. This work demands solid fundamentals across all 20 players and strong sectional leadership, making it ideal for groups that have already tackled standard intermediate repertoire and are ready to handle orchestral-scale challenges.

• Invest rehearsal time in mute consistency across your trumpet sections. The color shifts depend on players achieving similar tonal characteristics within each muted sonority, so establish uniform mute technique before tackling ensemble balance.
• Treat the flugel horn voices as a distinct timbral layer. These five instruments should read and rehearse separately from the main trumpet choir, then be blended in carefully during full sections so their warmth registers without clouding the overall sound.
• Mark the percussion parts clearly in your initial read-through. The rhythm section underpins the harmonic and dramatic movement of the piece, so drummers need to understand their role in shaping the piece's arc through the underworld narrative.
• Work the dynamic contrasts with intention. Medium-difficult repertoire often succeeds or fails on whether players can sustain soft playing without losing focus and can swell with conviction when the score asks for it.

Position this as a substantial concert work or festival centerpiece rather than an opening number. Its thematic richness and extended length work best when audiences are primed for serious listening. Pair it with complementary repertoire that shares its interest in color and storytelling, or program it as the anchor of a trumpet ensemble concert that showcases the range of the instrument.

• Coordinating mute changes and mute techniques across a large ensemble
• Reading and executing extreme dynamic contrasts (ppp to ff) with precision
• Blending flugel horn and trumpet timbres within a unified ensemble sound
• Executing rhythmically complex passages while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Sustaining musical focus and phrasing across extended passages