Three Dances (from Banchetto Musicale): Brass Ensemble Score & Parts

Schein's three dances offer something rare at this level: sophisticated Baroque writing that doesn't talk down to mid-level players. The instrumentation (horns and trombones with tuba) creates a warmth and blend that feels authentic to the period while staying within the technical reach of developing musicians. You'll find your ensemble sounds genuinely polished within reasonable rehearsal time.

Elegant and unhurried. These dances breathe with the ease of court music written for seasoned players, yet the writing is direct enough that younger musicians can find the line immediately. You'll hear the Paduana's stateliness, the spirited pivot of the Gagliarda, and the running energy of the Corrente unfold naturally under your hands.

High school brass ensembles with developing players who are ready for repertoire with historical substance. This works well for programs seeking contest material that sounds mature without requiring exceptional technical facility. The five-part instrumentation also makes it accessible for smaller music departments.

• Shape the phrases like dances, not exercises. Each dance has a natural arch; resist the temptation to play at a uniform dynamic. Let the melody breathe.
• Tune the harmonic intervals in the sustained passages. Baroque brass writing depends on just intonation more than you might expect, and the tuba anchors everything.
• Balance tone color across the quintet. Horns and trombones should blend into a single sonority rather than compete. Listen for transparency, not volume.
• Honor the articulation markings in the source material. Baroque phrasing is often lighter and shorter than modern instinct suggests.

Open a concert with all three dances as an appetizer to larger works, or scatter them across a program as palate cleansers between heavier pieces. This suite also fills the festival/contest slot well when you need something that demonstrates musicianship and period awareness without pushing players to the technical edge.

• Baroque phrasing and articulation conventions
• Voice independence in a quintet texture
• Intonation and blend in sustained harmonic passages
• Stylistic interpretation of dance forms
• Score reading and ensemble listening across five parts