Brass in unison, in octaves, thirds and sixths.
As, from its very nature, the brass is not called upon to realise a wide range of expression, kindred instruments of one group may be employed solo, as well as in unison. The combination of 3 trombones or 4 horns in unison is frequently met with, and produces extreme power and resonance of tone.
Examples:
Snegourotchka 5—4 Horns (cf. [Ex. 15]).
Snegourotchka 199—4 Horns and 2 Trumpets.
Sadko 175—1, 2, 3 Trumpets.
[No. 75.] Sadko 305[13]—3 Trombones.
[No. 76.] The May Night, beginning of Act III—1, 2, 3, 4 Horns.
Legend of Kitesh, end of Act I—4 Horns (cf. [Ex. 70]).
[No. 77.] Shéhérazade, 4th movement p. 204—3 Trombones.
Mlada; Lithuanian dance—6 Horns (cf. [Ex. 61]).
Owing to the resonant power of the entire group, the equality and even gradation of tone between the dark colour of the deep compass and the bright quality of the upper register, the use of brass instruments of the same kind in octaves, thirds or sixths invariably leads to satisfactory results. For the same reason the employment of brass instruments of different kinds, arranged according to normal order of register:
| Trumpet 2 Horns | Trumpet Trombone | Trombone Tuba | 2 Trombones Trombone + Tuba | 2 Trumpets 2 Trombones | 2 Horns Tuba |
is likewise successful whether the instruments are doubled or not. Another possible method, though not so reliable, is to combine horns (above) with trombones, exclusively in octaves:
| 2 Horns 1 Trombone | >[ | 8 | or | 4 Horns 2 Trombones | >[ | 8. |
Examples:
Sadko, before 120—
| Trumpet Trumpet | >[ | 8. |
Sadko 5—
| 2 Trumpets 4 Horns | >[ | 8. |
Snegourotchka 222—
| 2 Trombones Trombone + Tuba | >[ | 8. |
Ivan the Terrible, Act III 10
| 1 Trombone + Trumpet 2 Trombones | >[ | 8 (cf. [Ex. 38]). |
The Golden Cockerel 125—
| Trumpet Trombone | >[ | 8. |
Cf. also Snegourotchka 325-326—
| Trombone Trombone | >[ | 8 ([Ex. 95]). |