Review

Various
Go for Baroque!: A Primer for Young Players for 4-part Brass Ensemble

Arranged by Ran Whitley

trumpet 1, trumpet 2 (horn substitute), trombone 3 (horn or TC substitute), trombone 4 (TC or tuba substitute)

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2021
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 4 brass

Written in what we used to call “Jack Gale” keys — those keys that allow brass to sound great — the 12 pieces selected for Go for Baroque! are arranged in the following key areas: six in E-flat, four in F, and two in B-flat. Flexible instrumentation allows multiple uses: Parts 1 and 2: B-flat trumpet; Part 3: F horn, trombone, baritone T.C.; Part 4: trombone, baritone T.C., tuba.
1. Allemande - Gervaise
2. Rigaudon - Purcell
3. Tanz - Franck
4. Minuet - Scarlatti
5. Triumphant March - Handel
6. Gavotte - Telemann
7. Volta - Byrd
8. Spring - Vivaldi
9. Pastorale - Corelli
10. Canon - Tallis
11. Ronde - Susan
12. Chorale Prelude - Bach
All these arrangements sound wonderful. A professional level ensemble can add embellishments, use higher trumpets, play the tuba part 8va basso, etc. I could use more editing, more articulation and phrase marks, especially to help younger players with the length of the usual quarter note, which is quite helpful in determining style. Breath marks could be useful at this level, as well.
In their present configuration these arrangements can serve as good works for aspiring young players to edit. The Cherry Classics online catalogue provides about five minutes of audio samples from the score, which does serve as something of an example. As a reviewer I had access to the entire computer recording.
Buy a set for that brass quintet wedding gig where one player is late or doesn't make it. Use these in collegiate brass technique classes. And use them in middle school/high school brass ensembles.  Well done Ran Whitley, on many levels!