Three Purcell Dances Cover Image

Three Purcell Dances: Brass Duo & Ensemble, Trio, Conductor Score & Parts

$12.95 USD
$12.95 USD
Skip to product information
Three Purcell Dances Cover Image
Three Purcell Dances: Brass Duo & Ensemble, Trio, Conductor Score & Parts

Three Purcell Dances: Brass Duo & Ensemble, Trio, Conductor Score & Parts

By Henry Purcell, ed./arr. by Robert S. Frost

Grade: 3

Item: 36-20502583
$12.95
Shipped

One moment…

Description
Henry Purcell, the last of the great English composers of the Baroque period, was born in 1659. His works are numerous and represent all areas of composition. The three works in this collection are representative of Purcell's finest writing for the harpsichord. The HORNPIPE was written as one of a group of incidental pieces for the play "The Old Bachelor," while the MINUET and MARCH were composed as individual pieces in the style of the period. Each is dramatic and expressive in its simplicity. Each composition requires careful attention to style: The HORNPIPE with its lightly articulated syncopated figures, the MINUET with its lyrical phrases, and the marked and repetitive patterns of the MARCH. Source materials for the three Purcell works used in this arrangement can be located from the Zimmerman catalog as follows: I. Hornpipe (Z T685) - II. Minuet (Z 649) - III. March (Z 648). Instrumentation: Bb Trumpet, F Horn (sub. Euphonium T.C/B.C.), and Trombone (sub. Euphonium T.C.).

Three Purcell Dances: Brass Duo & Ensemble, Trio, Conductor Score & Parts isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Pages

No sample pages found.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Series: Great Works Publishing - LudwigMasters
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
ISBN10: 1-57-891583-X
ISBN13: 978-157-891-5835
UPC: 659859338620
SKU: 36-20502583
Instrumentation: Bb Trumpet, F Horn (sub. Euphonium T.C/B.C.) and Trombone (sub. Euphonium T.C.)

More about this title

About the Composer: Henry Purcell

Henry Purcell (1659-1695) stands as England's most significant Baroque composer and a defining figure in the nation's musical history. Born in London during the Commonwealth period, Purcell mastered every genre available to him: sacred vocal music, secular songs, instrumental works, and theater music. His gift for melody and harmonic innovation earned him appointments as organist at Westminster Abbey and composer to the court of King Charles II, positions he held with distinction until his early death at thirty-six.

Purcell's instrumental works showcase the same dramatic sensibility and lyrical gift that characterize his better-known vocal and theatrical output. His dances and keyboard pieces reveal a composer equally fluent in intimate chamber settings and grand ceremonial contexts. Today, his music remains central to understanding the English musical tradition and the broader European Baroque.

Why we love this

Purcell's dances offer brass trios at Grade 3 a rare opportunity to step into genuine Baroque style without the technical demands of later symphonic literature. Each piece stands complete in itself yet relates to the others musically, creating a satisfying short program that feels substantial. Robert Frost's arrangement respects Purcell's original voice while making the music accessible for younger players, letting them experience how style shapes interpretation as much as notes and rhythms do.

What to expect

These three dances capture the ceremonial grandeur and theatrical energy of Restoration England. The hornpipe bounces with rhythmic vitality and syncopated charm, the minuet sings with courtly refinement and graceful phrasing, and the march announces itself with bold, insistent declarations. Together they create a mini-portrait of Purcell's theatrical world.

Who it's for

Brass trios advancing into Grade 3 repertoire, whether in school ensemble programs, summer music camps, or community bands. This collection suits educators seeking music that builds maturity without sacrificing accessibility, and musicians ready to engage with historical style as an essential part of musical thinking.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the hornpipe's syncopated figures with crisp articulation and steady forward motion; resist the urge to rush, and let the rhythmic dance emerge from clarity rather than speed.
  • Bring out the minuet's lyrical quality by connecting phrases with a singing tone and allowing slight breathing space between sections to emphasize the work's inherent elegance.
  • Align the march's repetitive patterns precisely within the ensemble, treating each restatement as an opportunity to refine balance and demonstrate the power of unified rhythmic intent.
  • Listen to period recordings of Purcell's keyboard works to ground your interpretation in Baroque performance practice; small stylistic choices compound across the three pieces.

How to use it

Open a concert or assembly with all three as a unified suite, or use individual pieces to frame longer programs (the march works well as a processional opener, the minuet as a lyrical interlude). These pieces also make excellent teaching demonstrations of how arrangement and style interpretation transform familiar repertoire.

Skills your students will build

  • Baroque articulation and phrasing conventions
  • Ensemble balance in three-part writing
  • Reading and executing syncopated rhythm figures
  • Stylistic consistency across multiple short forms
  • Breath phrasing and lyrical expression within fast-moving passages

You May Also Like