Review

John Ward
Three Madrigal Fantasias:

Arranged by Roger C. Vogel

brass quintet, brass sextet (2,1,2,1)

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Publisher: Cor Publishing Company
Date of Publication: 2010
URL: http://www.wiltshiremusic.com

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass
Secondary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 6+ brass (choir)

English composer John Ward (1572-1638) was a contemporary of William Byrd and John Dowland. Roger Vogel selected six of Ward's string fantasias and arranged them for brass.

Three Madrigal Fantasias are arranged for traditional brass quintet in two flats, two in g minor, one in D mixolydian, and in 4/2 meter with rare switches to 2/2 or 6/2. The half note is marked from 60 to 76, and remains constant. Ranges: trumpet 1: d1-a2, trumpet 2: d1-a2, horn: b-flat-f2, trombone: c-g1, tuba: F-d1. First trumpet tessitura is slightly higher than second but their ranges are identical. Voices frequently cross, even within phrases. The tuba part is entirely in or slightly above the bass staff. While there is only one instance of trombone and tuba voices crossing they are frequently quite close. The tuba player must choose equipment so as to not dominate the texture and may ultimately be better performed on euphonium or bass trombone.

Three Fantasias is arranged for 2 trumpets, horn, 2 trombones, tuba. Two are in g minor and one is in G mixolydian, no sharps or flats. Again, all are in 4/2 meter with rare switches to 2/2 or 6/2 and the half note remains constant throughout. Ranges: trumpet 1: e1-b2, trumpet 2: g-b2, horn: c-sharp1-f2, trombone 1: c-a1, trombone 2: E-d1, tuba: D-e-flat1. This tuba part covers a wider range but again spends much time in and above the bass staff. The second trombone part favors the lower register but is playable on a straight tenor and is written in bass clef throughout. This set is more technically difficult than the quintet fantasias, with more eighth notes and occasional sixteenths.

These six fantasias are each between three and four minutes long. Trumpet parts are written in B-flat throughout and the trombone parts frequently switch between bass and tenor clefs. The primary challenges are musical. They mix homophonic and imitative polyphonic textures. Balance is critical and the players must be aware of principal motives, making sure they come out. This moderately chromatic, late Renaissance music generally feels somewhat darker than comparable music of William Byrd.

-Frank Gazda
Delaware State University