Today's Pick Up : Divertimento No. 1 “In far from the Darkness” / Ken'ichi Masakado [Low Brass Flexible Sextet]

I will be introducing some Golden Hearts Publications piece per week.

Please give me a few moments of your time!

Here's today's piece.


Divertimento No. 1 “In far from the Darkness” / Ken'ichi Masakado [Low Brass Flexible Sextet]

Printed version
https://global.goldenheartspublications.com/products/ghmb-20

Reference music：

*The instrumentation of this reference source is as follows
Part 1-4 Tenor trombone
Part 5-6 Bass Trombone



*The instrumentation of this reference source is as follows
Part 1-4 Euphonium
Part 5-6 Tuba



*The instrumentation of this reference source is as follows
Part 1-2 Tenor trombone
Part 3-4 Euphonium
Part 5 Bass trombone
Part 6 Tuba


Program notes:
The original Trombone Sextet was published in 2005. In the course of its revision and publication, it has been adapted so that it can be performed by Low Brass instruments other than Trombone.

Although some of the movements of this piece are titled to evoke a specific story, they do not have a concrete story. However, it may depict the 'darkness of the heart' that we all have, and the ‘struggles’ that we all face. This is evident in the use of the title 'Divertimento', the title of a bright and joyful song that everyone imagines (in fact, it could be said to reflect the composer's own inner darkness and struggles).
The unstable and sometimes violent rhythms, the dissonance and the unresolved ending stand out amongst the pieces I have created so far. However, the structure of the piece, with its mix of gentle and harsh melodies and polyphonic developments, is common to the other pieces.

The first movement, “Prologue”, has a light but melancholy mood. The second movement, “Fanfare”, is dominated by unstable rhythms and dissonances, and has nothing to do with brilliance or splendour. The third movement, “Rondo ? Scherzo”, has as its core a rhythmic theme in harmony with stacked four-degree intervals. The fourth movement, “In far from the Darkness”, is a slow movement that makes you think that you may have found a ray of light. The final movement, “Epilogue”, recapitulates the themes of the other movements and closes energetically.

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The composer envisages the following instruments for each of the six parts (no particular combination of instruments is restricted)

Part 1: Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium
Part 2: Trombone/Baritone/Euphonium
Part 3: Trombone/Euphonium
Part 4: Trombone/Euphonium
Part 5: Bass Trombone/Tuba
Part 6: Bass Trombone/Tuba

(Ken'ichi Masakado)

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Golden Hearts Publications has several flexible ensemble pieces, and this is a “low brass” flexible ensemble.

I would be happy to have you perform this piece in an ensemble concert or something, but “why don't we just put it together?” and you can try it casually within the scope of your hobby. It might also be good to have a commissioned performance.

As the composer Mr. Masakado wrote, there is no particular limit to the combination of instruments. If you and your friends can get together six people, you can play, and I would be happy if you could play in any situation you like.


I look forward to receiving your order!

Printed version
https://global.goldenheartspublications.com/products/ghmb-20

Shuhei Umemoto
Golden Hearts Publications Global Store