Review

Edward Elgar
Pomp and Circumstance March No.2, Op.39:

Arranged by Charles Decker

Brass Quintet: 2 B-flat trumpets, F horn, trombone, tuba

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2021
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

The title ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ comes from Shakespeare’s Othello, where the hero reflects on the dichotomy between the ‘pomp’ of his public role as Commander, and the ‘circumstance’ of his private emotional life. Elgar composed this march in 1901 and dedicated it ‘To my friend Granville Bantock,’ a fellow composer. It enjoyed considerable popularity in Edwardian England, but is now much less well known than its predecessor. Its original key was A minor; this somewhat abbreviated arrangement is in G minor with the trio section in the tonic major key of G. It is scored for the standard brass quintet of 2 B-flat trumpets, horn, trombone and tuba.

This is an enjoyable piece to play. The first theme, confident and energetic, comprising 16 measures of mostly staccato and marcato eighth and sixteenth notes, is played by first trumpet, joined by second in measure eight. The more lyrical second theme is introduced by the horn, taken over by trumpets, and then by trombone. First trumpet has the most demanding part, topping out at c-sharp², with many groups of 16th and 32nd notes at a tempo of quarter = 116. The trombone probably has the easiest part, given in bass clef, range G-e¹; no mutes required.

Production of the score is spoiled by overlapping text and dynamics at the bottom of pages 2-7, and solidification of beams on 16th and 32nd notes in both trumpet parts, even though there is room available for adjustment of system spacing, sufficient to eliminate these problems. Production of parts is exemplary. Charles Decker was the trumpet professor at Tennessee Tech University from 1981 to 2016, and is well known as a clinician, adjudicator and conductor.