Tansy Davies – Keep On Keepin’ On (Brass Quintet) – Score Digital Download

Six movements, starting with Quick March which requires some fast and neat tonguing from all members of the quintet. The Polka which follows is full of colour and requires dexterous trumpet playing. The third movement Blues is a long way from a traditional New Orleans blues - with its melancholy mood and Debussy like harmony it is more like a small impressionist tone poem. Merry Waltz is followed by Preamble, a gentle, atmospheric piece at a leisurely walking tempo. The final movement of this suite Tarandtango (Tarantango) cleverly combines two dances, the energetic tarantella and the elegant tango, resulting in an exciting and virtuoso finale.

This arrangement by Alan Danson conveys the triumph and celebration of the Finale of Beethoven's 5th Symphony. The writing is idiomatic and melodic interest is shared between all parts, with rare moments of a contemporary approach to the work here and there. An ideal opener to the second half of a concert. For schools, studios and professionals.

This arrangement of familiar nursery rhymes was intended as a means of introducing younger children to the medium of the brass quintet. Each rhyme is dressed in a musical identity, with each player given plenty of note activity. Some rhymes are slightly tongue in cheek while others are blatantly satirical. The work opens and closes with the rhyme Oranges and Lemons and the medley runs logically lasting for 5 to 6 minutes. It is an ideal encore item or light alternative to follow a quintet that might have challenged both performer and listener. A Medley of Rhymes for Five Brass is a popular addition to serious concert programmes.

At last, a Mozart arrangement that works for brass! A charming ländler but with the colourful addition of a piccolo trumpet that represents the post horn, and a set of tuned sleighbells (that can be replaced by the more commonly found unpitched sleighbells). Great fun for classy Christmas concerts, but needs a piccolo trumpet player capable of holding high notes! Arranged by Stephen Wick.