Trumpet Large Ensembles

Eddie Lewis has written a number of compositions for ensembles of seven or more trumpets. These are fun to perform and fun to compose. Here are compositions for seven to twelve trumpets.

Americana Trumpet Suite – Trumpet Septet (Seven Trumpets)
americana trumpet suite block

Americana Trumpet Suite

for the Clarion Trumpet Ensemble at Hannibal-LaGrange University

For Trumpet Septet (seven trumpets)

The Americana Trumpet Suite is seven movements of old-world styled music. There is a fanfare, a polacca, a work song, a sacred hymn, a waltz, an Appalachian song, and a march. All of these are composed in the style of late 19th century American music.

The instrumentation is five trumpets, one piccolo trumpet and one flugelhorn.

Copyright Year: 2017
Performance Rights Organization: BMI

August Opera Fanfare – Trumpet Septet (Seven Trumpets)
August Opera Fanfare

August Opera Fanfare

For Trumpet Septet (Seven Trumpets)

August Opera Fanfare is a short, intense fanfare for seven trumpets. It was written in 1995 for an event which never ended up taking place.

Copyright Year: 1995
Performance Rights Organization: BMI

Hosanna to the Son of David – Trumpet Octet (Eight Trumpets)
Hosanna to the Son of David

Hosanna to the Son of David

For Trumpet Octet (Eight Trumpets)

Eddie Lewis composed this piece at church on Palm Sunday, in 2016. While listening to a praise and worship band, he thought to himself, “this is not what Palm Sunday should sound like.” At that moment, the Holy Spirit asked him, “what does Palm Sunday sound like to you?”

Eddie closed his eyes and thought about it. Then he quickly grabbed a church bulletin and wrote as much of what he was hearing as he could.

Copyright Year: 2016
Performance Rights Organization: BMI

Legends of Fractonia – Trumpet Octet (Eight Trumpets)
Legends of Fractonia

Legends of Fractonia

For Trumpet Octet

This eight trumpet composition is probably one of Eddie Lewis’ most difficult pieces to perform. The parts are relatively easy, individually, but the piece requires a great deal of rehearsal to come together. It features a constantly alternating time signature from seven-eight to five-eight, throughout the piece. Add to that the complex textures, it is a lot of rehearsal time if you decide to tackle it.

Copyright Year: 2016
Performance Rights Organization: BMI

The Lotus Eater – Trumpet Octet (Eight Trumpets)
The Lotus Eater Cover Art

The Lotus Eater

For Trumpet Octet (Eight Trumpets)

People enjoy The Lotus Eater, both performing it and hearing it in a concert. The composition is based on salsa rhythms and triad pairs. It is a dramatic piece that tells a story of day dreamers (Lotus Eater used to mean someone who daydreams a lot) and imaginary adventures. The piece basically plays two trumpet quartets against each other.

Copyright Year: 1996
Performance Rights Organization: BMI

Trumpets of Jubilee – Trumpet Duodectet (Twelve Trumpets)
Trumpets of Jubilee

Trumpets of Jubilee

For Trumpet Duodectet

Trumpets of Jubilee was composed during a time when Eddie wasn’t officially composing. He took about three years off from writing an major works, but try as he might, he just couldn’t help himself. Trumpets of Jubilee developed at a slow, crawling pace, but Eddie never gave up on it.

And we are glad about that because it’s one of his best compositions…. twelve trumpets and lots of high level composition work.

Copyright Year: 2008
Performance Rights Organization: BMI