Rhythm Studies: Ensemble Exercises for Brass Quintet

Virtually every piece in the brass quintet literature presents multiple performance challenges such as endurance, range, dynamic control, articulation and tone quality. Technical mastery, however, does not ensure that five individuals will play as one. Refined brass quintet performance lies in developing a unified whole through accurate ensemble rhythm. This book was created to accelerate this process.

Each study begins with a melody played by the ensemble in unison, followed by variations in which rhythmic fragments reproduce the original melody when accurately played. Because the themes are in unison and are easy to recognize, this is a powerful tool for finding and correcting inaccuracies in ensemble playing.

The technical demands of the studies are modes, suitable for quintets of high school level and above. Includes score and parts.