Review

Charles Ives
Variations on America: for Brass Quintet

Arranged by Charles Decker

Trumpet in E-flat/C, B-flat trumpet, Horn in F, Trombone, Tuba

Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2023
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

Ives (1874-1954) wrote this piece for concert organ in 1892 when he was at Danbury Academy; it is one of his earliest compositions. At that time, with its melody ‘borrowed’ from Britain’s National Anthem and set to the words My Country ‘Tis of Thee by Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895), America was the de facto National Anthem of the United States. This arrangement is for Trumpet in E-flat and C, Trumpet in B-flat, Horn in F, Trombone, and Tuba. The trombone part is given throughout in bass clef; overall range is F - f1.

Following a short introduction, the theme is introduced in F major at m33 on E-flat Trumpet. Variation 1 follows at m47, also in F. Trumpets play the melody while the lower parts are quite demanding with many 16th and 32nd notes. Variation 2 again in F is somewhat easier, with mostly 8th notes in the lower parts. Interlude and Variation 3 are in D-flat. 1st part changes to Trumpet in C at m96. The trombone part has off-beat 16ths which make it quite interesting. Variation 4 in A-flat and in 3/4 is more straightforward. This is followed by an Interlude also in A-flat and then Variation 5 which is in F, again with off-beat 16ths in the trombone part. Overall this is an interesting and agreeably challenging arrangement of some possibly less familiar material.

Charles Decker was Trumpet Professor at Tennessee Tech University from 1981 to 2016. His many published arrangements have been widely performed.