Archive for the ‘Easter Music’ Category

Trumpet Sheet Music- Jesus Christ is Risen Today (trumpet solo/duet/trio/quartet or three descants- with organ)

Saturday, February 4th, 2012

Instrumentation- Solo/Duet/Trio/Quartet or Melody and three Decants with Organ
Composer- arr.Chidester
Length- Depends on number of verses used
Difficulty- E
Range – Easy
Endurance- 2
Finger technique- 2
Counting ability- 2
Ensemble difficulty- 2

I have played a lot of Easter Services and one thing is usually true; most organists don’t know what to do with the brass players unless the arrangement has been written out. Most often we hear this, “I want you to play along on the hymns”. That doesn’t give you much to work on for in order to play along with the hymns, you will have to transpose the top line of the organ part. Although this is expected of trumpet players, it sometimes is a problem with younger players. Then we might be asked to play an obbligato part which will stop most players. Most Easters also include one, two and sometimes three trumpet players who most often have to sit around doing nothing or doubling on the first part.

The days of unorganized confusion in the choir loft are finally over.

This arrangement includes the following possibilities-

1. Transposed hymn melody for trumpet solo.
2. Transposed parts for a trumpet duet/ trio and/or quartet.
3. Transposed melody for one trumpet and choice of three additional descants.

Start collecting these descant arrangements and be a hero to every organist you run into.

Listen to this sample of all four independent parts performed with one of the most popular hymns- Jesus Christ Is Risen Today

View first page of score- Jesus Christ Is Risen Today-First page of score

Priced at only $5.00


Learn more about the Branson Trumpet Ensemble

Trumpet Sheet Music- Crown Him with Many Crowns (trumpet solo/duet/trio/quartet or three descants- with organ)

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Instrumentation- Solo/Duet/Trio/Quartet or Melody and three Decants with Organ
Composer- arr.Chidester
Length- Depends on number of verses used
Difficulty- E
Range – M
Endurance- 2
Finger technique- 2
Counting ability- 2
Ensemble difficulty- 2

I have played a lot of Easter Services and one thing is usually true; most organists don’t know what to do with the brass players unless the arrangement has been written out. Most often we hear this, “I want you to play along on the hymns”. That doesn’t give you much to work on for in order to play along with the hymns, you will have to transpose the top line of the organ part. Although this is expected of trumpet players, it sometimes is a problem with younger players. Then we might be asked to play an obbligato part which will stop most players. Most Easters also include one, two and sometimes three trumpet players who most often have to sit around doing nothing or doubling on the first part.

The days of unorganized confusion in the choir loft are finally over.

This arrangement includes the following possibilities-

1. Transposed hymn melody for trumpet solo.
2. Transposed parts for a trumpet duet/ trio and/or quartet.
3. Transposed melody for one trumpet and choice of three additional descants.

Start collecting these descant arrangements and be a hero to every organist you run into.

Listen to this sample of all four independent parts performed with one of the most popular hymns- Crown Him With Many Crowns

View first page of trumpet score- Crown Him- First page of Trumpet score

Priced at only $5.00


Learn more about the Branson Trumpet Ensemble

Trumpet Sheet Music- Were You There? (trumpet solo/duet/trio/quartet or three descants- with organ)

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

Instrumentation- Solo/Duet/Trio/Quartet or Melody and three Decants with Organ
Composer- arr.Chidester
Length- Depends on number of verses used
Difficulty- E
Range – Easy
Endurance- 2
Finger technique- 2
Counting ability- 2
Ensemble difficulty- 2

I have played a lot of Easter Services and one thing is usually true; most organists don’t know what to do with the brass players unless the arrangement has been written out. Most often we hear this, “I want you to play along on the hymns”. That doesn’t give you much to work on for in order to play along with the hymns, you will have to transpose the top line of the organ part. Although this is expected of trumpet players, it sometimes is a problem with younger players. Then we might be asked to play an obbligato part which will stop most players. Most Easters also include one, two and sometimes three trumpet players who most often have to sit around doing nothing or doubling on the first part.

The days of unorganized confusion in the choir loft are finally over.

This arrangement includes the following possibilities-

1. Transposed hymn melody for trumpet solo.
2. Transposed parts for a trumpet duet/ trio and/or quartet.
3. Transposed melody for one trumpet and choice of three additional descants.

Start collecting these descant arrangements and be a hero to every organist you run into.

Listen to this sample of all four independent parts performed on one of the most popular hymns- Organ 4 trumpets

View first page of score- Were You There-First page of score

Priced at only $5.00


Learn more about the Branson Trumpet Ensemble

I Know That My Redeemer Liveth

Monday, January 9th, 2012

Instrumentation- Trumpet Quartet
Composer- Handel/trans.Chidester
Length- 5:30
Difficulty- M
Range – Low F# to A (just above staff)
Endurance- 2
Finger technique- 2
Counting ability- 2
Ensemble difficulty- 2

When you transcribe from the best composers, the work may be time intensive but the products are wonderful. Few composers can handle (cute) counterpoint as well as old GF! Even though the piece is longer than most (about two minutes longer) the parts move back and forth to give the players breaks. Each player has beautiful melodies throughout. This is one of the best five arrangements I have done this year and hope you enjoy it.

Listen to sample- I Know That My Redeemer Liveth-short

View first page of score- I Know That My Redeamer Liveth

Priced at only $20.00


Learn more about the Branson Trumpet Ensemble

Free Trumpet Sheet Music- The Church’s One Foundation

Monday, October 24th, 2011

Instrumentation- Trumpet Quartet/w Organ
Composer- Wesley/arr.Chidester
Length- 2:19
Difficulty- E
Range – Low Bb to top line F
Endurance- 1
Finger technique- 1
Counting ability- 1
Ensemble difficulty- 1

When faced with four times through a hymn, I like to use the “tag team” approach. Each player plays a short phrase and turns it over to someone else. I staged this as an antiphonal performance to break up the repetition. If you want to sound professional with your younger players, this works very well.It begins as solo antiphonal, then duet antiphonal, then more homophonic and the last time through reverts back to more traditional sound.

Listen to sample- The Church’s One Foundation

Download parts and score- The Church’s One Foundation

Learn more about the Branson Trumpet Ensemble

They shall receive a glorious Kingdom

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

Instrumentation- Trumpet quartet with piano
Composer- Handel/ trans. Chidester
Length- 3:46
Difficulty- M
Range – Low G to B just above staff
Endurance- 2
Finger technique- 2
Counting ability- 2
Ensemble difficulty- 2

This is a wonderful number which sounds as “Up town Classical” as you can get. When I recorded this, I was amazed at how full and rich when you consider how many measures of rest there are for all of the players. This is a major piece and involves very little effort to play. This is usually the case when you are working with a true genius’s composition. All I can say is, you should treat yourself and/ or your students to this number. Editing was kept to a minimum and the only alterations I did was to sustain some notes where the text required multiple notes.

Listen to sample- They shall receive a glorious Kingdom
View first page of Trumpet 1- They shall receive a glorious Kingdom first page of trumpet 1

Priced at only $5.00


Learn more about the Branson Trumpet Ensemble

Free- How are the mighty fall’n

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Instrumentation- Trumpet quartet/w Piano
Composer- Handel/trans.Chidester
Length- 1:00
Difficulty- E
Range – Low B to G just above staff
Endurance- 1
Finger technique- 1
Counting ability- 1
Ensemble difficulty- 1

For all of those who fell on July 22 in Oslo, Norway, you will not be forgotten.

Listen to sample- How are the mighty fall’n
Download parts- How are the mighty fall’n

The Old Rugged Cross

Thursday, June 16th, 2011

Instrumentation- Trumpet Quartet
Composer- Bennard/arr.Chidester
Length- 2:51
Difficulty- M
Range – Low A to high C
Endurance- 2
Finger technique- 2
Counting ability- 3
Ensemble difficulty- 3

I have always enjoyed this hymn and wanted to give it more of a concert setting rather than just a church hymn. The counter melody runs throughout and the main melody is shared by all of the players. I wanted to feature the different texture of the trumpets and flugels but this arrangement will work equally well for all the same horns. I included a short modulation in the middle to spice it up and then it returns to the original key. I especially like the ascending pattern and fermatta with the first trumpet on high C and the fourth part on a low C. This open voicing has a great effect. The running counter melody is contrasted with two fermattas for effect. I added one measure of silence for the same reason. Whether you are planning to perform this in church or on a recital stage, I’m sure your audience will enjoy it.

Listen to sample- The Old Rugged Cross
View first page of score- The Old Rugged Cross first page of Score

Priced at only $5.00


Learn more about the Branson Trumpet Ensemble

Trumpet Overture- Two Trumpets and Organ

Friday, June 10th, 2011

Instrumentation- Two Trumpet with Organ
Composer- Purcell/trans.Chidester
Length- 2:41
Difficulty- D
Range – Low C to B above staff (concert pitch)
Endurance- 3
Finger technique- 3
Counting ability- 3
Ensemble difficulty- 3

The Trumpet Overture from The Indian Queen written by Purcell is well known but was originally written for trumpet, Trombone and organ. I have rewritten the trombone part and add a few notes to make it more trumpet like. This would be a great recital number for any serious trumpet player. It has three sections and is a real crowd pleaser.

Listen to sample- Trumpet Overture
Download free sheet music here- first page of score only

Priced at only $5.00


Learn more about the Branson Trumpet Ensemble

Free Trumpet Sheet Music- Ode To Joy (Two Trumpet Descant)

Monday, June 6th, 2011

Instrumentation- Two Trumpet Descant
Composer- Beethoven/arr.Chidester
Length- 1:26
Difficulty- M
Range – G in staff to A above staff (concert pitch)
Endurance- 1
Finger technique- 1
Counting ability- 1
Ensemble difficulty- 1

Someone requested a trumpet descant to be played with Ode To Joy so here it is. I would have had it posted sooner but this is my wife’s and my 47th anniversary and there are more important things in life than music! The request asked for one trumpet descant but I thought I would write it for two trumpets. If you only have one player, “read between the lines”.

Listen to sample- Ode To Joy Two Trumpet Descant
Download free sheet music here- Ode To Joy – Two Trumpet Descant