Description
This piece for brass quintet is built around the tune of the popular hymn What a Friend we have in Jesus, arranged by Ivan Andrews. The euphonium starts the piece with a flourish – the preacher’s call to listen. After a slow introduction of the main tune, the piece soon moves into a jazz style variation played on the cornet/trumpet. Two other tunes appear, first one to which the words ‘I love him better every day’ are often sung, and the second, in a more reflective mood, tells ‘This is why I love my Jesus’.
The original melody in its variation form returns in a swing style to finish the piece. A number of variations of instrumentation are available as below:
Instrumentation
- Part 1 – Cornet/Trumpet Bb
- Part 2 – Horn (includes parts in Eb & F)
- Part 3 – Trombone/Baritone (includes bass clef and Bb treble clef parts)
- Part 4 – Euphonium (includes bass clef and Bb treble clef parts)
- Part 5 – Tuba (includes bass clef and Eb & Bb treble clef parts)
- Drum Set
