Brass Composing and Arranging (usw/etc...)

[ZacPB189]

Yes, the subject is lame
Any-who, I thought it would be relativly nice if Brass Enthusiests could discuss their schtuff.
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So, as a Trumpeter, Hornist, and mediocre timpanist (in High School [2010]), I tend to write lots of brassy things (and often thought of arranging/trascribing stuff fo brass as well). One of the things I've thought of (though I'm probably NOT the 1st, so I'm not taking credit for this) is a "Brass Orchestra":
10-20 Horns in F
12-20 Trumpets in Bb
10-13 Trombones (opne being a contrabass trombone)
5-10 Saxhorns (aka Tubas: 4-8 Euphoniums and 1-2 Tuba(s))
Percussion (Timpani, Bass Drum, Cymbals, Gong, Snare Drum, etc...)
Organ and String Contrabasses (that double the Organ Ped.s)
Other (like Harp, Piano, bagpipes, piccolo, or other various additions, etc...)

I've also been doing more "chamber" ensembles like "Trumpet and Piano/Harp/Organ" or "Trumpet Choir with Percussion". For exapmle: I've written 2 Trumpet Choir pieces ("Imperium in B-Dur" and "Imperium in Des-Dur") for [9 Trumpets, Timpani, Snare and Bass Drums, and Bass] and [8 Trumpets, 4 Tromboes, Timani, Snare and Bass Drums, and Basso Continuo] (respectivly). The 1st one I played with some classmates for the WSMA [Wisconsin School Music Association] "Solo and Ensemble Festival" where it passed district and did perfect at State.

So what have any of you other brass peoples done of thought of or worked on or have the urge to critisize (constructivly of course)?

[allegroamabile]

I would think the brass orchestra you are talking about would be considered a brass band. I saw an arrangement on Sibelius.com of Dvorak's Symphony No. 8 for that ensemble. I also believe that Malcolm Arnold's Little Suite No. 1 was originally written for brass band, and then transcribed for full wind band by the composer. Pretty neat stuff...

[SeanMartin]

My only thought was "sixty three brass pieces???" It sounds a bit... uhm... overpowering, no matter what you might add to soften the tone. I'd pull those numbers down so you avoid sounding too Sousa. I mean, seriously, no matter how well it's orchestrated, it's still gonna sound like the UCLA Marching One Thousand.

And by softening, I dont necessarily mean you have to have the obligatory strings. But definitely some woodwinds for a bit of colour balance would seem appropriate.

[ZacPB189]

I would think the brass orchestra you are talking about would be considered a brass band. I saw an arrangement on Sibelius.com of Dvorak's Symphony No. 8 for that ensemble. I also believe that Malcolm Arnold's Little Suite No. 1 was originally written for brass band, and then transcribed for full wind band by the composer. Pretty neat stuff...

Brass bands actually don't have trumpets or "french" horns, they are all cornets, saxhorns, and trombone. And they are usually smaller. Don't worry, I did think about that .

My only thought was "sixty three brass pieces???" It sounds a bit... uhm... overpowering, no matter what you might add to soften the tone. I'd pull those numbers down so you avoid sounding too Sousa. I mean, seriously, no matter how well it's orchestrated, it's still gonna sound like the UCLA Marching One Thousand.

And by softening, I dont necessarily mean you have to have the obligatory strings. But definitely some woodwinds for a bit of colour balance would seem appropriate.

It's something one must approach carefully. I'm aiming for a brass (+perc/org/basses) "orchestra", not a symphonic band, especielly since the woodwinds have their own ensembles (like the Richard Strauss Serenade for Winds).

[yourattentionplease]

Sounds to me that, in terms of numbers and instrumentation, you're getting close to drum & bugle corps orchestration. No trombones, of course, but the baritone bugle is often used by drum corps arrangers as a more strident, piercing tenor voice akin to the trombone; and the euphonium bugle is used for the deeper, darker sound of the concert baritone/euphonium.

Though drum corps arrangements are usually heavier in the bass voice than what you're going for, with around 1/5 of the group being tubas/contrabass bugles; and also much less alto, with usually roughly as many altos as basses.