First performed by the composer at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York in 1926, The Piano Preludes (or Three Preludes) are a collection of short pieces by George Gershwin, show casing early-20th-century American classical music, as influenced by jazz. Gershwin originally planned to compose 24 preludes, wrote seven, performed only six publically and was further reduced to three when first published.
 
The work was dedicated to friend and musical advisor Bill Daly. The first prelude begins with a five-note blues motif. It features syncopated rhythms based on the Brazilian baião and minor-seventh chords throughout. The second prelude, which Gershwin said was "a sort of blues lullaby" consists of two sections: the first a "lazy" melody upon a steady beat of crotchets; the second the bass takes the melody, continuing with the steady beats. The third prelude was called "Spanish" by Gershwin, and features a question-and-answer type melody, starting in a minor tonality and ending in major one.
 
This arrangement is for the British-style brass band, with alternative parts for horns in F and bass-clef lower brass.
 
To view a follow-the-score video please visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqIQ0j1SWlc
 
PDF download includes score and parts.
 
Sheet music available from:
UK - www.brassband.co.uk
USA - www.solidbrassmusic.com
 
Difficulty Level: 1st Section +
 
Instrumentation:
Soprano Cornet Eb
Solo Cornet Bb
Repiano Cornet Bb
2nd Cornet Bb
3rd Cornet Bb
Flugel Horn Bb
Solo Horn Eb
1st Horn Eb
2nd Horn Eb
1st Baritone Bb
2nd Baritone Bb
1st Trombone Bb
2nd Trombone Bb
Bass Trombone
Euphonium Bb
Bass Eb
Bass Bb
Timpani
Drum Kit
Mallet Percussion