Trumpet Voluntary (The Prince of Denmark's March): 6 Trumpets & Opt. Timpani Score & Parts

David Marlatt's arrangement captures everything that makes this march irresistible while solving a real scheduling problem for trumpet ensembles: the flexible scoring lets you perform with whatever trumpets and players you have on any given day. The Baroque ceremonial splendor translates beautifully across six voices, and the optional timpani adds architectural weight without complexity.

Stately and ceremonial, the Trumpet Voluntary unfolds with the grandeur of a royal procession. The writing glows with Baroque clarity and harmonic order, allowing six voices to weave together in a conversation that feels both disciplined and joyful.

This arrangement works for trumpet choirs, advanced middle school or high school ensembles, and adult community brass groups. The flexible instrumentation means you can field it with B-flat trumpets alone or substitute piccolo trumpets, making it accessible to programs with mixed inventory and varied player levels.

• Balance the six parts by thinking of them as two choirs rather than a solo plus accompaniment; this prevents the upper voices from disappearing and keeps the harmonic texture even.
• Let the optional timpani anchor the march character with crisp articulation on the downbeats, but keep the dynamic level restrained so the trumpet ensemble remains the primary voice.
• Shape phrases by bringing out the melody wherever it sits in the six-part texture, not just at the top; Baroque polyphony rewards listeners who can follow multiple lines at once.

Open a brass concert with this to establish a sense of occasion, or use it as a transition piece between heavier works since it holds audience attention without demanding the length of a full-sized symphonic work. It also serves well as a festival or contest selection given its strong musical architecture and transparent scoring.

• Baroque phrasing and articulation style
• Part independence within homophonic textures
• Reading and balancing multiple trumpet lines simultaneously
• Flexible doubling on B-flat trumpets or piccolo trumpets
• Rhythmic precision in ceremonial march contexts