Trios for Brass, Volume I: Brass Trio Book

You move from the austere beauty of Renaissance counterpoint to the elegant gallantry of Mozart's Classical style, finishing with the romantic sweep of 19th-century German music. Each piece has its own character, but they share a dignified restraint that rewards careful attention to phrasing and blend.

Brass trios at the intermediate level, especially groups mixing treble and bass clef instruments. This collection works for chamber ensembles preparing for festival competition or students building confidence in small-ensemble reading and balance.

• Establish a secure pulse early. The Haydn Fugue's contrapuntal writing demands that all three players lock into the same tempo before entries begin.
• Balance the inner voice when it carries the thematic material. In Bruckner's Aequale, the middle instrument often has the melodic line while outer voices provide harmonic support.
• Use the recording accompaniment as a tuning and intonation reference. Working through difficult harmonic areas (particularly in the Mozart Divertimento) becomes easier when you can hear how the parts relate.

Program the Praetorius or Mozart excerpt as a concert opener or interlude between larger works. The Bruckner and Haydn pieces suit festival or chamber concert programs where you want to showcase your ensemble's musicality. Distribute the collection across rehearsals to give your players variety while maintaining focus on trio technique.

• Reading both treble and bass clef literature with accuracy
• Balancing three independent lines while maintaining ensemble cohesion
• Recognizing and executing different articulation and phrasing styles across Renaissance, Classical, and Romantic periods
• Intonation and blend in close harmony
• Independence in ensemble settings where no instrument doubles the melody