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Trio for Horn, Tuba and Piano (2021)

Instrumentation:

Horn in F, Tuba, Piano

Duration:

10'

Movements:


i. Passacaglia

ii. Nocturne

iii. Fugue


Written for a bizarre yet fascinating combination of instruments, commissioned by Josh Allen and Jack Sindall, my Trio: Passacaglia, Nocturne and Fugue for horn, tuba and piano is built from a simple yet oddly fascinating pattern of repeating intervals (down a minor third, up a perfect 5th) which creates the illusion of an infinitely rising progression.


In the first movement, the pattern forms the repeating passacaglia bass. This continues into the second movement, named Nocturne where the pattern (still repeating) has transformed and become very slow and tranquil in the piano. The tranquillity is soon interrupted by the two brass instruments who take the music to crisis point before plummeting to obscurity and silence.


The final movement is an ever accelerating fugue which takes the theme from the first movement as its subject. Due to the cyclic nature of the theme it eventually becomes a mini canon from which the only escape is to force a rallentando into a final cadence.

Copyright © Matthew Holmes 2025. May be used for promotional purposes for performance of the work with appropriate accreditation of the author.

Tags:

Chamber, Brass, Keyboard, Trio




If you are interested in performing this work or would like to hire or purchase performance material, please get in touch by using the form below. I look forward to hearing from you!

© 2025 by MATTHEW HOLMES.

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