Review

Henry Purcell
Round: Theme from Benjamin Britten's "Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra"

Arranged by Jeremy Niles Kempton

2 B-flat trumpets, horn in f, trombone, tuba

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2020
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra was written in 1945, subtitled Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell, (1659-1695). The theme comes from his Abdelazer Suite and is given in its original key of D minor. It is characterised by an ascending D minor triad and a four-bar descending sequence. The trombone part is in bass clef, range F-e¹. First trumpet goes up to c³, and enjoys eight bars of rest; second trumpet, topping out at b¹ has four measures of rest. The other parts are fully occupied throughout. Mordents are indicated in the three upper parts; the lower parts are not ornamented. This music has a natural affinity for brass, and this is a well-written, successful arrangement that I think will be well-placed at the top of a recital program. Mr Kempton is currently active as a conductor and trombonist in the New York Metropolitan area.