# A victory fanfare for what I assumed was the discovery of a COVID vaccine



## TalkingPie

I read some not-so-reputable news about Moderna really having discovered it, but it's unreliable... Anyway, I've written for brass before (and even got performed), but this is my first "serious" work for brass only (the percussion is basically an afterthought).






In fact, the sound I intended got so big sometimes, that I think the piece may be a bit tiring for the performers, so I may later rearrange it for concert band. I dunno, you tell me.

Here are the full score plus parts in case you wanna nitpick the part of the instrument you play 

I'm conscious the piece's a bit over the top, I'm still thinking whether that's a good or a bad thing.


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## pianozach

I quite enjoyed it.

You're missing a time signature though.


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## Enthalpy

Sounds good!

The instruments are nearly the brass of a symphonic orchestra. Why drop one horn?

There is a time signature in the linked score. That's prudent. Beethoven should have written one (and have the hardware) on his Trauermarsch.

What is the synthesizer?


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## Vasks

Yeah, you're pushing brass endurance and range so that only the best can maybe get through it. Take the Horn 1. Non-stop playing until the 3:15 mark. Probably even a pro may not last that long...maybe. 

Then range: The Bass Trombone can not play a low "B natural" unless it has a third trigger. Your average bass trombonist will not have it. The extremely low tuba notes can be produced by some players but not most and those super low ones are neither agile nor of solid, normal tone quality. They're very "special" and need to be handled as such.

Enthalpy is correct in pointing out that your ensemble is standard in number & type of instruments except not having a 4th horn. You could have used that 4th to spell the poor fatigued Hn 1.


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## TalkingPie

Thanks for the feedback. I share all your opinions. Actually, just after posting this I made an arrangement for full concert band that is way less taxing for everybody. I also transposed it a semitone up so that the bass trombone doesn't play the low B-natural. The only thing I hadn't considered were the low tuba notes. Will add ossias. Thanks for the heads up!






I'm having talks with a band to have this performed, but I'm having a lot of trouble with the proofreading! With the performances I've had, always some mistake has slipped and has been corrected in the first rehearsal when I was present. However, this won't be possible this time since it's in another country.


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## Vasks

Proofing band scores and parts is very time consuming, no doubt. But aside from time, what do you mean by "having a lot of trouble"?


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## TalkingPie

I mean I still find mistakes no matter how many times I revise it. Guess it's a mixture of perfectionism with being a rather disorganized person


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## TalkingPie

Enthalpy said:


> Sounds good!
> 
> What is the synthesizer?


It's Noteperformer


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## Enthalpy

I don't feel the tuba notes are low. I see a D about an octave below the bass clef. For a Bb tuba, that's a minor sixth below the Bb in second mode with no valve engaged. It can be played on the second mode with three valves engaged.

Even easier, some tubas have "false tones" or "privileged tones". Mine has such a mode, I believe a fifth below the second mode despite a fourth would be more logical. On this mode, D needs to engage only the semitone valve and is excellent. I could play it after 2 months on a tuba.

Unless the tuba shall transpose an octave lower. This convention still exists. Then it would need three valves engaged on the pedal tones, which is low for real.

My suggestion is to explain in the score(s) how each instrument is expect to transpose the notes. That's especially important for the brass, which have many conventions. I put an English text, but some drawing would be more universally understandable.


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## Enthalpy

B natural just below the bass clef demands a bass trombone with second valve which some don't have. What I read (but have no experience for!) is that a replacement valve slide is a semitone longer, or even, that the normal valve slide can be pulled a semitone longer. Both options need extra training.

Writing the piece a semitone higher brings the B-flat, which was a pedal tone, to the undesired B natural, hence isn't a solution. A full tone is needed. Or you decide that professional orchestras and bands will play the piece, and these have a standard bass trombone with two valves.


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## Vasks

Enthalpy said:


> Writing the piece a semitone higher brings the B-flat, which was a pedal tone, to the undesired B natural, hence isn't a solution. A full tone is needed.


If I understand you correctly, you're misinformed about the B-flat below the staff. Even on a tenor trombone, that pedal tone is very full and very playable. I have written several band and solo tenor trombone pieces incorporating the low B-flat that have been played numerous times and the players handle it easily. The low B-flat on a bass trombone makes that note even easier and more controlled than on a tenor. The important thing is to treat it a special single note with a breath just prior to playing it so the performer can set the embouchure and tongue placement. Never call for it in the context of moving directly in and out of it.


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## Enthalpy

Sure! But TalkingPie said that he transposed the piece a semitone higher to avoid the B-natural. Then the pedal B-flat becomes a B-natural, which doesn't solve the problem of a single valve trombone.


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## Vasks

Yes indeed. If he had "originally" given the bass trombone any pedal low B-flats then his transposition of up a half step is useless. I had not thoroughly looked at every note he wrote for any of the brass parts of the brass ensemble version.

But he may be able to correct it in his band version by giving the line to tubas or contrabassoon or contrabass clarinet. I have not looked at his band version.


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## Enthalpy

[I suppress my message]


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