Brass Quintet
(2011)
6 minutes
Performance Information
World Premiere: The Juilliard School. Spring 2011.
The Interlochen Arts Camp. Summer 2011.
National Music Festival. Chestertown, MD. June 2019.
Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash
About
This work is an exercise in high-velocity energy and rhythmic persistence. It begins with a concentrated, cellular rhythmic figure that quickly becomes pervasive, serving as the engine upon which increasingly complex layers of melodies and motives are built. While a central section provides a brief lyrical reprieve, the rhythmic undercurrent remains a constant, watchful presence just beneath the surface.
The middle portion of the work acts as a developmental furnace, pushing the ensemble toward its peak activity. This leads into a varied recapitulation of the opening material—now transformed through a different meter—recontextualizing the familiar "groove" of the beginning. The work culminates in a rousing coda that utilizes the full power of the brass section and orchestral pyrotechnics, bringing this quirky and relentless work to an exhilarating conclusion.