Campane (Low Brass Quintet)

Campane is a three-movement piece for the unusual combination of horn, 2 trombones, bass trombone and tuba, inspired by the various sounds of bells. After a somewhat abstract first movement, audiences appreciate the tuneful second movement and the exciting finish of the last movement.

Genre: Low Brass Quintet | # of Players: 5
Series: N/A
Level: Medium Advanced | Duration: 12:20

Instrumentation
Transposed Score (8.5"x11" stapled booklet)

F Horn
Trombone 1
Trombone 2
Bass Trombone
Tuba

Program Notes
I composed Campane (Bells) in the Autumn of 2016, after a summer trip to Europe. The sound of pealing church bells heard in Italy was on my mind. Those bells triggered different feelings. I heard mourning bells, bells that sounded celebratory and bells that seemed to signal danger. Those sounds fit with brass instruments whose tone emits from another form of bell.

The first movement, Toll, suggests the tolling of bells – something usually associated with death. But, I also meant the toll that death takes on those left behind. While working on this movement I took walks on the beach and listened to the sounds made by the rough Northern California surf. I heard dissonance in the crash of the waves against each other, it reminded me of a number of bells ringing at once – chaotic and with jumbled meaning. The sound reminded me of my own grief. I think of this entire movement as an intro two movement two - Aria.

Aria evokes the ringing of the heart when touched by love. A love found, felt, or lost.

The final movement, Alarm, is inspired by the bell that rings to warn of danger. This music suggests the enhanced focus and sense of panic that comes with that bell (or more commonly, a siren). There is with that feeling a sense of anger, confusion, denial and sometimes surrender.

Campane is dedicated to the wonderful brass players of the Minnesota Orchestra. They premiered it on February 2, 2020 at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis.

Michael Gast, horn
R. Douglas Wright, trombone
Kari Sundström, trombone
Andrew Chappell, bass trombone
Steven Campbell, tuba