Trios for Brass, Volume I: Brass Trio Book

The Aequale opens with solemn, almost liturgical warmth; Mozart's Divertimento sparkles with Classical wit and nimble passagework; Praetorius's Babylon feels like stepping into a Renaissance courtyard. Moving between these pieces is like turning pages of music history, each one revealing what brass trio writing sounded like before the modern era.

Brass trios at the intermediate to advanced level who need accessible literature for contest preparation, sectional recitals, or concert programming. This collection works equally well in youth orchestras, military bands, college brass studios, and private lesson studios serving advanced players.

• Balance the sound by seating players so the treble clef voices can hear each other clearly; a standard triangle formation works well for monitoring intonation across registers.
• Allow time in rehearsal to address the tuning challenges that arise when treble clef instruments (at B-flat concert pitch) share harmonic space with each other, particularly in the slower, more exposed passages like Aequale.
• Approach the contrapuntal writing in Haydn's Fugue with precise articulation and clear phrase breathing; the imitative passages demand transparency that sloppy attacks will dissolve.
• Consider the stylistic differences between movements: Praetorius rewards a lighter, more dance-like touch, while Bruckner demands warmth and sustained legit tone.

Program individual pieces across multiple concerts: place Aequale in a serious opening slot or as a closing meditation, slip the Praetorius into a lighter, mixed-repertoire concert, and save the Mozart or Haydn for contexts where you want to showcase rhythmic precision and ensemble control. This collection also pairs naturally with larger brass ensemble works in festival or contest settings.

• Balance and blend between treble clef instruments in close harmonic ranges
• Stylistic interpretation across Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, and early Romantic periods
• Intonation and tuning adjustment in sustained harmonic contexts
• Articulation clarity in contrapuntal and imitative writing
• Phrase shape and musical communication without a conductor in an intimate ensemble setting