Easter Brass
Easter Brass is a tradition in many churches.
Toot Suite Brass sells several exciting or reflective sacred brass quintets suitable for Easter performance.
Composers associated with the Russian Orthodox church provided a wealth of music that works well for Easter. Selections arranged by Toot Suite Brass Publishing for brass quintet include:
"Rejoice, O Virgin", from Sergei Rachmaninoff's "All Night Vigil".
"Bless the Lord, O My Soul", from Pavel Chesnokov's "All Night Vigil".
Brass quintet pieces suitable for Easter in addition to Christmas and other highlights of the Christian church calendar include:
"Jerusalem", a piece by Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the great Renaissance composer.
"Locus Iste", a Latin Gradual by the great Romantic period composer Anton Bruckner.
"Le Crucifix", a piece with sharply contrasting styles by Charles Gounod.
Easter is for brass, and the more brass the better. While the standard brass quintet (2 trumpets, 1 French horn, 1 trombone, and 1 tuba) is a common musical ensemble targeted by many arrangers (including us!), some church brass ensembles have a bit more "muscle" than the standard brass quintet. Toot Suite Brass publishing offers a handful of pieces for slightly larger brass ensemble.
The "Resurrection Chorale" from Gustav Mahler's "Symphony #2" is tremendous blow. This piece begins with a gorgeous soft chorale presented by the lower voices, grows, then bursts into fountains of trumpet fireworks which last to the end of the piece. This piece is scored for 2 trumpets, 1 French horn, 1 trombone, 1 euphonium (or a second trombone), and 1 tuba. View or purchase this piece at Sheet Music Plus.
"Tuba Mirum", from Giuseppe Verdi's "Requiem", is another tremendous blow. Starting with a solo trumpet, additional brass is incrementally added and the sheer volume of sound increases organically to a frenzied climax that lasts and lasts, finally tapering down to a quiet but unsettled ending. This piece is scored for 3 trumpets, 1 French horn, 2 trombones, 1 euphonium (or a third trombone), and 1 tuba. View or purchase this piece at Sheet Music Plus.
"St. Simeon's Prayer", from Pavel Chesnokov's "All Night Vigil", ranges from soft and gentle to warmly powerful. This piece is scored for 2 trumpets, 1 French horn, 2 trombones, and 2 tubas. View or purchase this piece at Sheet Music Plus.
"Praise the Name of the Lord", from Pavel Chesnokov's "All Night Vigil", is a bright and cheerful sacred piece, scored for 2 trumpets, 2 French horns, 2 trombones, and 1 tuba. View or purchase this piece at Sheet Music Plus.
"Kyrie", from the "Pope Marcellus Mass", written by Palestrina, will make each of your instrumentalists feel like a soloist. View or purchase this piece at Sheet Music Plus.
"The Lost Chord", by renowned organist and composer Arthur Sullivan, draws on Sullivan's roots as a church organist. It is richly scored and presented here for 2 trumpets, 2 French horns, 1 trombone, and 1 tuba. View or purchase this piece at Sheet Music Plus.
"Gentle Light", from Pavel Chesnokov's "All Night Vigil", begins with an introspective minor key melody before changing to a warm and loving major key section. This piece is scored for 2 trumpets, 1 French horn, 2 trombones, 2 tubas. View or purchase this piece at Sheet Music Plus.