Program Notes
Subscribe to our mailing list HERE for concert announcements and quarterly newsletters!
Quintet No. 1 for 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, and tuba – Malcolm Arnold, composed 1960
Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold (b. 1921 – d. 2006) was a prolific English composer who pursued many distinct genres. Arnold lent his musical insight to multiple symphonies, concertos and chamber music, ballet theatre, and film scoring including The Bridge on the River Kwai, which earned him an Oscar. He was held in similar esteem to such famous composers as Hector Berlioz, Benjamin Britten, Jean Sibelius, Gustav Mahler, and Béla Bartók. His esteem led him to wield the baton in front of numerous prominent orchestras, such as the London Symphony and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. His home city of Northampton hosts a festival in his honor every October, and there are two schools that bear his name; the Malcolm Arnold Academy and the Malcolm Arnold Preparatory Free School.
Though not strictly programmatic, this 3 movement Quintet is a fascinating series of scenes. The first movement is flashy, beginning and ending with cascading trumpets, but also featuring the tuba as a solo voice. The melodic lines are supported by gentle motors, as well as quirky syncopated rhythms. Mutes give a sense of calm distance, and the movement ends in peace. The second movement is sepulchral, starting with the horn and tuba in slow octaves. This settles into a whispering chorale, which shortly gives way to weird, winding melodies and harsh dynamic dissonances. The tempo suddenly gives way to a liturgical recitative spoken by the trombone. From this, the tempo speeds up and hushed rhythms gradually open up to a dark herald, rising to a brief but brilliant peak before settling into another unsettled chorale and ending again with the horn and tuba in eerie octaves. The third movement is militaristic in its fanfare themes, ricocheting between all five brass at various times. After a rushing intro, the music settles into a tripping pulse, decorated melodically by the trombone. The horn is then given a soaring melody, looking down upon a punctuated harmony. The fanfares continue to pulse up and down before suddenly opening up to smoky muted trumpet lines, climbing chromatically. Finally, the opening fanfare returns in its truest form, gaining speed and verve until the trumpets are locked in battle in a mad dash to the end. A last fanfare signals the conclusion of this complex series of intriguing ideas.
Sir Malcolm’s Quintet remains one of the most widely played chamber works. It is one of the absolute classics of the genre, and established the instrumentation two trumpets, French horn, trombone and tuba as the standard. The writing for brass is idiomatic yet ultimately challenging. There is always an element of danger in Sir Malcolm’s brass writing, and this, to those who know him well, echoes certain traits in his own character! The writing for tuba is especially ahead of its time, and at the time it was written would have been within the grasp of very few players in the world. The work was written for the New York Brass Quintet, the group which at that time was laying down the standard for the rest of the world to emulate, and the work had immediate impact and success.
Mini Overture for Brass Quintet – Witold Lutoslawski, composed 1982
Witold Roman Lutoslawski (b. 1913 – d. 1994) was a force of a composer during the 20th century. He spent his youth studying piano and violin in his native Poland, which gave him keen insight into harmonic structural possibilities which he would carry into his compositional career. Like many composers of his day, his music was politically charged. Witold suffered great familial and musical losses at the hands of Germany in both World Wars, and was captured by, and subsequently escaped from, the Nazis upon their invasion of Poland in 1939. He would eventually consider a censure from Joseph Stalin to be a both an honor and a motivation to push his technique to its limits. His efforts culminated in several globally renowned compositions, most notably his Concerto for Orchestra, and several highly esteemed awards, including the Grawemeyer Award and the Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal.
Lutoslawski’s Mini Overture is not for musicians with frail hearts. Indeed, the metric twists are near constant for the entire duration of the piece. Similarly, the dynamic contrasts are drastic, the melodies are fragmented and strange, and the pulse is ever shifting, creating a powerful sense of drama and tension that persists right up through the final chord. An attentive listener will notice rhythms that ping-pong between the instruments, murky clashing harmonies, and rapid changes in texture that give many the impression of a dramatic silent movie score.
Were You There? – Traditional African/American Spiritual arranged by Jerald R Juhnke 2022
Jerald “Jerry” Juhnke (b. 1950) has lived in Wichita, Kansas for many years, but grew up near McPherson, Kansas. He studied trombone and jazz from an early age with his mother being an early influence and supporter. Primarily a bass trombonist, he received a Bachelor in Music Education and a Master in Music Performance from Wichita State University. His interest in trombone bands resulted in a 10 trombone and rhythm section band called SuperBones. SuperBones appeared several times on the Wichita Jazz Festival and was voted both the best jazz big band and combo in Wichita. The band performed twice at the National Trombone Workshop in Nashville, Tennessee, the predecessor to the International Trombone Festival. Trombonists that have performed with the band include, Phil Wilson, Bill Watrous, Buddy Baker and (baritone horn player) Rich Matteson. Since very few trombone band arrangements were available, Jerry arranged a significant amount of the music for the band. Most of his working career was spent as a financial advisor in Wichita, but he had many bass trombone performance opportunities with Midwestern bands and touring national performers. He has served on the board of the Wichita Symphony Orchestra as their treasurer and as president of the board for the Wichita State University Music Associates. His music tends to have rich jazz influenced harmonies and creative chord movements.
Were You There? is a traditional spiritual that first appeared in 1899, likely composed by slaves. The original text refers to the crucifixion scene and the sufferings of Jesus on the Cross, but also has subtle hidden meanings connecting His suffering with the suffering of the black slaves. Gordon Cherry of Cherry Classics Music referred to the arrangement as a gorgeous piece of music.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, were you there when they crucified my Lord?
(Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble) tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the cross?
Were you there when they nailed him to the cross?
(Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble) tremble
Were you there when they nailed him to the cross?
(Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble) tremble
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Well, were you there when the stone was rolled away?
Were you there when the stone was rolled away?
(Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble) tremble
Were you there when the stone was rolled away?
Jive for Five – Paul A. Nagle, composed 1982
Naturally, the Five referred to in the title refers to the traditional members of a brass quintet. However, trumpeter and composer Paul Nagle (b. 1941) decided to break slightly from tradition in his composition Jive for Five. This piece is constructed in three scenes in three distinct jazzy styles. The opening is a finger-snapping traditional swing, with the trumpet carrying most of the melody, supported by punchy offbeats in the rest of the ensemble. After a powerful ending, the tuba leads the group into a funky groove, joined shortly by the trombone as they drive forward under their high brass counterparts. This section ends as it began, with the tuba taking control and setting the stage for the final style – a jazz waltz. This waltz builds slowly, using a long gentle melody with gradual additions of harmonic layers. A brief break allows the second trumpet to shine through with a solo, before concluding this piece with a bombastic coda.
The popularity of this composition is so widespread that it has been transformed many times. Arrangements of this piece include wind band accompaniment for the quintet, retranscription for woodwind quintet, and arrangement for saxophone quartet.
Threnody for Roxie – Chase Hampton
Chase Hampton is a composer and arranger from Huntsville, Alabama. His works have been performed by school, community, and professional groups throughout the United States, such as the Shoals Symphony Orchestra, with which he was a Solo Artist in 2019. His work has also been recognized by the George Lindsey Film Festival, Alabama Music Educators Association, and the International Horn Society. He earned his Bachelors in Music Education from the University of North Alabama before serving as band teacher at Lincoln County High School in Fayetteville, Tennessee, and he currently is pursuing graduate studies in music composition at Wichita State University.
The title Threnody for Roxie is a reference to Leonard Bernstein’s Elegy for Mippy I and II, in that they are all pieces for brass named after the composer’s childhood dog. Each part of Threnody evokes an old childhood story, each set in a different season and each with the heightened sense of emotion that would have been felt at that time. This version of Hampton’s Threnody is freshly revised, making this performance a world premiere. Intrepid Brass is constantly committed to bringing new brass literature to the public ear. We are grateful to Chase for the opportunity to present his ideas in such a receptive environment.
Suite from the Monteregian Hills – Morley Calvert, composed 1961
Morley Calvert (1928 – 1991) was a famed Canadian composer, conductor, bandmaster, and founder of the Monteregian Music Camp. Calvert composed this charming four-movement Suite based on a commission from the Montreal Brass Quintet. This Suite is named for a mountain range located outside of Montreal, arcing from Mount Royal down towards the international border. Each movement is loosely based on a classic French-Canadian folksong, though of course Calvert took extensive compositional liberties in his arrangement.
Each movement of the Suite from the Monteregian Hills has a distinct title and character. La Marche is bouncy and calling, with motives reminiscent of hunting horns heralding down the sloping mountainside. Chanson Mélancolique is plaintive, making use of lush harmonic texture and tasteful rubato to bring to mind the repose of a shepherd on a twilit evening. The Valse Ridicule makes use of broken meter, bouncing playfully between duple and triple feels, giving the sensation that an enthusiastic patron has perhaps had one too many a drink. Then the Danse Villageoise takes off, with running scales darting around a lively French-Canadian version of ‘He is Born, the Divine Christ Child’ and ending with a vigorous stomp.
Notes by Dalton Williams, June 2024
Subscribe to our mailing list HERE for concert announcements and quarterly newsletters!
Thank you for your attendance! Your support and energy make live music events a possibility, and we are so happy you decided to join us today!