Ecce Sacerdos Magnus (“Behold the Great Priest”) comes from the early European tradition of plainchant. Bruckner’s setting of the responsory, originally scored for eight-part mixed choir, organ and three trombones, brings certain medieval qualities to an otherwise Romantic-era composition.

This transcription for 10-part brass choir (3 trp, 2 hn, 3 trb, euph, tuba) is appropriate for intermediate level and above and attempts to retain the majesty, power, and beauty of the original piece. It should be approached as a choral piece: connected and fluid. The harmonic language is essentially triadic; great care should be taken in the tuning of each chord throughout the piece.

Instrumentation: brass choir

Publisher: Cherry Classics