Dr. David Mathie
Trombonist, Professor, Arranger
Gabrieli - Gloria from Sacrae Symphoniae
Twelve-part Brass Ensemble (Three 4-part Choirs)
Difficulty Level: High School through Professional
1. Highest note in the trumpets is written F; highest note in the trombones is Eb
2. Horn parts substitute for low trumpets and high trombones
3. Tuba may be used for the lower trombone parts
4. Lower trombone parts do not require a bass trombone
Published by Cherry Classics, Catalog Number CC-2269
Click below to see a performance of the Gabrieli Gloria. Grupo de Metais da OPES, directed by Antonio Augusto
ABOUT THE MUSIC
Details of Giovanni Gabrieli’s early life are sparse. He was probably born in 1554 and studied composition with his famous uncle Andrea Gabrieli, then later Orlando di Lassus. By 1584 he had settled in Venice to take the position of principal organist at the Basilica di San Marco, followed by the similar position at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Thus in his thirties he became the principal musician in the two most prestigious churches in Italy.
Gabrieli began his composition career with the popular vocal madrigals of that time, but eventually began favoring sacred music for vocal and instrumental forces. The unique design of St. Mark’s Basilica, with its two opposing choir lofts, led him to his characteristic antiphonal style: one group would begin from the left-sided loft, followed by a response from the group on the right. Even to this day the acoustics of the cathedral are such that the music is in perfect balance to the listener throughout the church.
The most famous compilation of his choral and instrumental works is the Sacrae Symphoniae of 1597; it is from this collection that the Gloria was taken. The piece was written for three choirs of four voices, the top two voices in each choir being (most probably) boy sopranos and altos, the bottom two male tenors and basses. Like many of the Sacrae Symphoniae it is highly antiphonal in nature and was probably meant to be performed in the acoustic space of a large church. Payment records that time indicate that, like most of Gabrieli’s music at the time, it may have been performed with wind instruments such as cornetti and sackbuts doubling the voices.
This transcription was taken from the complete works (Giovani Gabrieli Opera Omnia, American Institute of Musicology, Hänssler-Verlag, 1998). Editorial additions have been kept to a minimum: the slurs were taken from the text, while the dynamics are suggested by both the text and texture of the music. Musical interpretations should bear in mind that the work is vocal in nature and the tempo should reflect the fact that the original was performed in a very large acoustic space.
This work is quite accessible and could be performed by a good high school brass ensemble (with rehearsals!); the only difficulties may be some of the offset dotted-eighth/sixteenth rhythms common to Gabrieli, and (as is true of any piece by Gabrieli) it is very easy for players to miscount.
The antiphonal nature of the work will come out by placing the three choirs as far apart as possible - but again, be careful of the counting!
Details of Giovanni Gabrieli’s early life are sparse. He was probably born in 1554 and studied composition with his famous uncle Andrea Gabrieli, then later Orlando di Lassus. By 1584 he had settled in Venice to take the position of principal organist at the Basilica di San Marco, followed by the similar position at the Scuola Grande di San Rocco. Thus in his thirties he became the principal musician in the two most prestigious churches in Italy.
Gabrieli began his composition career with the popular vocal madrigals of that time, but eventually began favoring sacred music for vocal and instrumental forces. The unique design of St. Mark’s Basilica, with its two opposing choir lofts, led him to his characteristic antiphonal style: one group would begin from the left-sided loft, followed by a response from the group on the right. Even to this day the acoustics of the cathedral are such that the music is in perfect balance to the listener throughout the church.
The most famous compilation of his choral and instrumental works is the Sacrae Symphoniae of 1597; it is from this collection that the Gloria was taken. The piece was written for three choirs of four voices, the top two voices in each choir being (most probably) boy sopranos and altos, the bottom two male tenors and basses. Like many of the Sacrae Symphoniae it is highly antiphonal in nature and was probably meant to be performed in the acoustic space of a large church. Payment records that time indicate that, like most of Gabrieli’s music at the time, it may have been performed with wind instruments such as cornetti and sackbuts doubling the voices.
This transcription was taken from the complete works (Giovani Gabrieli Opera Omnia, American Institute of Musicology, Hänssler-Verlag, 1998). Editorial additions have been kept to a minimum: the slurs were taken from the text, while the dynamics are suggested by both the text and texture of the music. Musical interpretations should bear in mind that the work is vocal in nature and the tempo should reflect the fact that the original was performed in a very large acoustic space.
This work is quite accessible and could be performed by a good high school brass ensemble (with rehearsals!); the only difficulties may be some of the offset dotted-eighth/sixteenth rhythms common to Gabrieli, and (as is true of any piece by Gabrieli) it is very easy for players to miscount.
The antiphonal nature of the work will come out by placing the three choirs as far apart as possible - but again, be careful of the counting!