"Gloria" was my first foray into multi-movement composition, and served a utilitarian purpose. I conduct an annual Christmas choral festival with "Sing Omaha" entitled "A Christmas Fanfare" which includes professional brass, organ, and percussion each year. I like to have a larger work to anchor this 90-minute concert, and set my hand to this piece for the 2024 concert.
The writing for brass quintet offers full sonorities without overbalancing the singers, and I was careful to maintain a conversational relationship between the horns and the singers. The organ part is substantive but not virtuosic and should be playable by most organists. The timpani and percussion parts can be played by two players, and I have outlined each instrumentation switch in the score and parts.
Movement 1 is a fanfare, ushered in with the choir’s declaration of “Gloria.”
Movement 2 is more introspective, with subdued brass and a heavier emphasis on meditative organ support of the choral singing.
Movement 3 is an exuberant celebrat
