Brass Quintet No. 1

by Adrian B. Sims

Brass Quintet No. 1 explores a wide variety of musical colors and textures through thematic development. Although there are several themes in this work, there is one ascending theme in particular that persists throughout. The opening part of the work is based around color and harmony. While melodic ideas are introduced in the beginning, they are are not heard in their full form until later in the work. The colorful harmonies ultimately build to a perceived tempo change with rhythm taking center stage more so than harmony. Through meter and textural changes, the main melodic idea evolves, gaining intensity as the work progresses. The finale is a climactic unification of the rhythmic elements and the colorful harmonic textures.