Review

Norm Wilcox
Mode Swings:

, United States
Publisher: Wilcox Music
Date of Publication: 2010

score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

Mode Swings is an original composition for brass quintet suitable for advanced high school musicians and up. Trombonist and composer, Norm Wilcox, has been performing for more than 40 years. He studied with Emory Remington and Donald Knaub at the Eastman School of Music and has spent many years teaching trombone privately, transcribing brass music and composing Christian music. This contemporary work features tonal harmony blended with a variety of interesting textures and counterpoint that keep the music fresh. It is set in an A-B-A format and features trombone and trumpet solos in the second movement. The A section uses driving rhythms combined with multiple meter changes while the B section features a contrasting lyrical quality. Mode Swings provides a great opportunity for mixed meter playing as it features eight different meter signatures with beat divisions in seven, four, six, two, five, three, and nine. Ranges extend from b to c3 in the trumpet 1 part, b to a2 in trumpet 2, a to g2 in the horn part, G to f1 in trombone, and AA to b-flat in the tuba part. Score and parts are marked clearly with articulations, tempi, style, and dynamics. This is an ideal piece to open or close any brass quintet program.

-Anthony Williams
University of Northern Iowa