5036 – Brass Belles

Elgar Howarth

Difficulty: Hard

Price: £30.00

I March for a North Country Girl
II Blues for a Floozy
III Duet for a Diva
IV Aria Silver Sound for mezzo-soprano
V Waltz for an Old Maid
VI March for a North Country Girl.

Programme note:

These songs for Mezzo-soprano and brass quintet were written for Mary Thomas and the Philip Jones Brass Quintet. They were performed on British television in a bandstand set and with players in bandsmen's uniform.
After the quirky opening march each instrument is featured: the trombone in a slow blues, the horn in an increasingly virtuosic duel rather than a duet, the trumpets in a gently flowing meditation and the tuba in a comic waltz. The set finishes with a reprise of the opening march.

Performance note:

Be careful throughout about balance between voice and brass.
1/6. Play the rhythmic figures very tightly. Ensure that the Aida quotes come through.
2. The trombone line should be flexible and expressive. The cadenzas can be improvised.
3. The suggestions here can be varied at will depending on the particular skills and party tricks of the performers. Follow the plan, copy and imitate with the the horn always winning. Eventually the singer gives in and is captivated by the extreme skill of the horn player.
4. Play lightly, especially in the flourishes.
5. Choose a tempo which allows for a virtuoso feel but without losing the clarity of the words.