Trigger Happy

Brass Band

Work Details

Trigger Happy
(2008)
WORK DURATION
4:00
WORK CODE
GF/TY
Instrumentation
Brass Band
COMMISSION DETAILS
Brass Band Association of New Zealand
Premiere
National Youth Brass Band of New Zealand, Mayfair Theatre, Dunedin, New Zealand 17 February 2010
The image above is indicative only and may not reflect the specific instrumentatioN. thE image has been generated using an AI model or licensed for use by unless otherwise credited.

Trigger Happy is a four-minute work for brass band. The term trigger in the title refers to the technical side of brass instruments – it is the mechanical lever that lengthens a slide when pressed in a contrary direction. Triggers are sprung in such a way that they return the slide to its original position when released. Another use of the term refers to when the length of tubing of brass instruments is altered to shift its playing range as in the case of the trombone.

In this work, Farr employs the top range of the higher register of the two euphoniums for the melody to cut through the repetitive, irregularly accented homophonic writing for the brass band, which in turn propels the music forward.