Brass Ensembles
Quite an extensive repertoire exists of original and transcribed works of music for various combinations of one-to-a-part brass players. A few of the most common brass chamber music combinations drawing upon the instruments pictured below are:
Brass Trio (one trumpet, one horn, one trombone) [clip 1]
Brass Quartet (two trumpets, one horn, one trombone) [clip 2]
Brass Quartet (two trumpets, two trombones) [clip 3]
Brass Quintet (two trumpets, one horn, tenor and bass trombones) [clip 4]
Brass Quintet (two trumpets, one horn, tenor trombone, one tuba) [clip 5]
Works for larger combinations of brass are sometimes written with multiple groups situated spatially to create antiphonal effects [clip 6]. In these larger configurations the euphonium is often incorporated in addition to the instruments already mentioned in the above ensemble combinations (the euphonium is also sometimes used as a substitute for the trombone in these standard ‘chamber’ configurations).
Brass ensemble music is heard most often in the context of tertiary educational institutions (conservatories, schools of music, and music departments) and in public school music programs were it is drawn upon for solo and ensemble competitions. Professional brass ensembles exist, either as offshoots of symphony orchestras or as independently organized groups, and a few of these attain international notoriety through recording releases and concertizing.
Bibliography:
Jones, Bill. “Brass quintet,” in Grove Music Online. Accessed December 3 2014: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/46520?q=brass&search=quick&source=omo_gmo&pos=15&_start=1#firsthit
(by Roger Vetter)
trumpet
horn
trombone
bass trombone
euphonium
