Review

Richard Wagner
Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral:

Arranged by Ohad Wand

4 B-flat trumpets, 4 horns in F, 2 tenor, 1 bass 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 - 6+ brass (choir)

Elsa’s Procession to the Cathedral is Ohad Wand’s 12-part brass ensemble arrangement of the famous wedding procession from Wagner’s opera Lohengrin.  The instrumentation is 4,4,3,1, making this an ideal arrangement for an orchestral brass section.

First trumpet, horn and trombone parts contain strong melodic material throughout in an organ-like doubling of unisons and octaves. Inner and lower parts favor contrapuntal lines with similar unisons and octave doublings, creating depth in the arrangement.

The range required by all instruments is suitable for intermediate collegiate performers. Articulations are clearly defined, as are dynamics and other important engraving notifications like solo line indications. Difficult passages include extended periods of pianissimo that demand endurance, flexibility, and range, and a key change to B-major that requires control of pitches that have difficult tuning tendencies, especially in unison passages.

This arrangement builds from a chorale orchestrated with high voices, through a series of different densities that explore the different colors possible with a brass choir, culminating in an orchestral brass fanfare that is appropriate for brass choir concerts, but can also be used in conjunction with an orchestra concert in a different context.