M. Arnold - Quintet | Brass Quintet Rep

Title

Quintet for Brass Op. 73

I. Allegro Vivace

II. Chaconne

III. Con Brio

Composed

1961

Composer

Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921 – 2006)

Composer Information

Malcolm Arnold is one of England's most well-known composers, alongside Britten and Walton. He began his career as a professional trumpet player, as second trumpet, with the the London Philarmonic Orchestra, but later in his career switched to composing full-time. Malcolm Arnold's music encompassed a variety of forms, including: opera, ballet, orchestral, chamber, and film scores. He wrote nine symphonies, more than twenty concertos, chamber music, choral music, and music for brass band, and wind band. He wrote extensively for the theatre, with five ballets specially commissioned by the Royal Ballet, as well as two operas and a musical.

Publisher

Paterson’s Publications distributed by Hal Leonard

Duration

13:00

Difficulty

Ranking Position

Discography

Arnold, Scheidt, Lutosławski, Berlin, Nagle & Koetsier - Music for Brass Quintet by Berlin Brass Quintet: Betont, 2017.

Brass Bonanza by Metropolitan Brass Quintet, Berlin Brass Quintet, Annapolis Brass Quintet, New York Brass Quintet, Dallas Brass Quintet, Saint Louis Brass Quintet & I-5 Brass Quintet: Crystal Records Inc, 1986.

Arnold, M. / Ewald / Bozza / Maurer / Dahl / Clavert: Works For Brass Ensemble – Center City Brass Quintet: Chandos, 2002.

Types of Instruments/Mutes

Standard instrumentation. Trumpets require cup and straight mute

Final Considerations

Malcolm’s Quintet for Brass remains one of the most widely played brass quintets and ranks on top of this survey. It is, without doubt, one of the absolute classics of the genre. The work was written for the New York Brass Quintet. This piece requires all sorts of articulation, including soulful legato playing as well as fast triplet staccato passages. Every instrument is given the chance to show off its virtuosic abilities in this challenging piece, especially the trombone cadenza during the second movement, and the trumpet in the rondo movement.