Sunset Over Blue Water: Brass Quintet Score & Parts

Marlatt transforms a beloved hymn into something fresh without losing its spiritual core. The scoring balances technical interest across all five parts while keeping the musical statement clear and emotionally direct, making it engaging for both players and audiences at festival settings.

The piece opens with a sense of searching, the horn's triplet figures gently probing the harmonic landscape before the hymn tune arrives like a moment of clarity. From there it swells with conviction and affirmation, then settles into quiet acceptance, leaving listeners with a sense of peace and resolution.

Brass quintets preparing for festivals and concerts will find a piece that sits comfortably at the intermediate level without sacrificing musical substance. This scoring works equally well for community brass ensembles and university-level groups seeking repertoire that combines technical craftsmanship with genuine emotional appeal.

• Shape the opening horn triplets with rhythmic flexibility and warmth; these meandering figures set the piece's contemplative mood and shouldn't feel mechanically rigid.
• Let the trombone's entrance of the hymn tune sing through with legit tone and clear articulation, treating it as the emotional center of the work.
• Control the dynamic build to the forte verse by bringing all voices in gradually; resist the urge to jump to full volume immediately.
• In the final resolution, lean into the quiet passages with intention rather than simply backing off; this peaceful ending needs presence and focus to land meaningfully.

Program this piece on a spring or fall festival concert where it can provide contrast to more virtuosic brass quintet literature. Its moderate length and warm character also make it a natural choice for community performances or memorial services where music serves both celebratory and reflective purposes.

• Balancing solo and ensemble textures within a five-part brass setting
• Controlling dynamic transitions and building intensity across phrase structures
• Executing rhythmic figures (triplet patterns) with musical flexibility rather than metronomic precision
• Sustaining tone quality during soft passages and maintaining clarity during forte sections