Review

Jom Hopson
Fire & Ice:
2 b-flat trumpets, horn in F, trombone, tuba, snare drum, bass drum

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

score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 5 brass

Fire and Ice is a short, energetic, and fun addition to the brass quintet repertoire by the versatile musician Jim Hopson, who in addition to composing and arranging, is a multi-instrumentalist playing trombone, tuba, and alphorn, among other instruments.

Fire and Ice is scored at an Allegro con Energico tempo throughout at a pulse of 144 bpm. The work alternates between 4/4, 6/4, and 6/8 time signatures while always maintaining a propulsive rhythmic drive. It is scored for two B-flat trumpets, horn in F, trombone, tuba, and the two optional percussion parts are snare drum and bass drum. It opens in A-flat Major then pivots to D-flat Major, then concludes with a short Da Capo and Coda to an abrupt and unexpected ending in F Major.

The work contains some rapid articulated ostinato rhythms in the trumpets in the A section, while the trombone and horn play syncopated melodic lines that feature the occasional fun octave glissando or rip in the alternating voices. In the B section, the tuba has nice arpeggiated solo lines. The trumpet 1 part ascends no higher than b-flat2, trumpet 2 is more conservative ascending to g2, horn tops out at b-flat1, trombone at g1, and tuba in and below the bass clef staff with the highest pitch being an E-flat.

Mr. Hopson, a dedicated music educator, has added a significant, enjoyable new work to the repertoire with Fire and Ice. I encourage you to add it to your collection and present it on your next brass quintet program.