Brass Miniatures

BRASS MINIATURES for brass quintet by Howard J. Buss is in 4 short movements inspired by light and images reflected on polished brass: On the Edge, Refractions, Facets, and Illuminated Reflections. In November of 2018 the composer found a box labeled “1974” in a storage closet. It contained a collection of long-lost scores he had composed 4½ decades earlier. Upon examining the music it was apparent that in these works was a trove of youthful musical ideas that could be developed, polished, and edited into exciting “new” compositions. The musical content of first 3 movements of is close to that in the 1974 brass quintet. The final movement was rewritten to include elements of the original score, but updated to be closer to the composer’s current musical language. While On the Edge, Refractions, and Facets, have a decided edginess to them; Illuminated Reflections is more consonant and lyrical. It includes subtle references to material in the previous movements as well a buffed rendition of the opening melody of the first movement in its coda.