The Music of Cole Porter for Brass Quintet: Brass Quintet Conductor Score & Parts

Zachary Smith's arrangement captures the elegant sophistication of Porter's melodies while tailoring them perfectly for brass quintet voicing. The flexibility to perform these three standards individually or as a medley gives you programming options that work for concert sets, chamber recitals, or as sophisticated encore material. The Grade 3.5 level makes these accessible without sacrificing the harmonic and stylistic depth that makes Porter's music rewarding to perform.

These pieces carry the urbane, sophisticated elegance that defines Cole Porter's catalog. Lush chromatic harmonies weave beneath memorable melodies, creating an atmosphere of jazz-club sophistication that feels both timeless and thoroughly modern in its harmonic language.

This collection serves brass quintets at the intermediate to early advanced level who want to expand beyond traditional classical repertoire into jazz standards. It works equally well for school ensembles looking to build jazz vocabulary and professional or community brass quintets seeking quality light concert material.

• Balance the melody line across your trumpets and horn; these songs depend on singers' clarity, so phrase generously even in a purely instrumental setting.
• Pay attention to Porter's chromatic harmony, especially in the passing tones between chord changes; let those voice leading details speak rather than rushing through them.
• If performing the medley, establish clear sectional transitions so the three pieces feel like movements in a larger arc rather than separate songs.
• The arrangement is designed for both jazz and legitimate classical interpretations; choose your articulation style early and commit to it consistently across all three pieces.

Use this as a complete set for a concert segment dedicated to American popular song, or cherry-pick individual pieces as intermission material or encores that showcase your ensemble's versatility. The medley option works particularly well in shorter concert slots where you want impact without extensive rehearsal time.

• Leading melodic lines with idiomatic phrasing in a jazz context
• Balancing chromatic voice leading and harmonic sophistication
• Transitioning between jazz and legit articulation styles
• Performing standard repertoire with historical awareness and stylistic authenticity
• Ensemble cohesion across multiple related pieces