Gwyneth Walker

Braintree Quintet

for Woodwind Quintet (1988)

Return to Gwyneth Walker Music Catalog
Read Old Hymns, New Music in Braintree by Georgia Croft, The Valley News.
Read An Interview with Gwyneth Walker by Susan Weber and Marcia Lee Goldberg, MMB Music Newsletter.
N.B.: The recordings below are of the premiere performance of this work in the Braintree Hill Meeting House with the audience first singing through each of the hymns, followed by the instrumental movement played by the woodwind quintet.

Listen to a RealAudio (G2) stream of the first movement of this work performed by the Block Ensemble (with singing).
Listen to a RealAudio (G2) stream of the second movement of this work.
Listen to a RealAudio (G2) stream of the third movement of this work.
Listen to a RealAudio (G2) stream of the fourth movement of this work.
Listen to a RealAudio (G2) stream of the fifth movement of this work.

Download an an MP3 file of the first movement of this work performed by the Block Ensemble (without singing).
Download an an MP3 file of the second movement of this work.
Download an an MP3 file of the third movement of this work.
Download an an MP3 file of the fourth movement of this work.
Download an an MP3 file of the fifth movement of this work.

Download an an MP3 file of the first movement of this work performed by the Block Ensemble (with singing).
Download an an MP3 file of the second movement of this work.
Download an an MP3 file of the third movement of this work.
Download an an MP3 file of the fourth movement of this work.
Download an an MP3 file of the fifth movement of this work.

View/download a PDF file of selected sample pages from the first movement of this work.
View/download a PDF file of selected sample pages from the second movement of this work.
View/download a PDF file of selected sample pages from the third movement of this work.
View/download a PDF file of selected sample pages from the fourth movement of this work.
View/download a PDF file of selected sample pages from the fifth movement of this work.

View/download a PDF file of the hymns used in this work.


Commissioned by the Braintree Historical Society, Braintree, Vermont.

Braintree Quintet is a contemporary presentation of traditional hymns found in the hymnals of the Community First Baptist Church of Braintree, Vermont. The five movements ("Nearer, My God to Thee"; "What a Friend"; "Bring Them In"; "God Be With You/Fling Out the Banner", and "Abide With Me") of the quintet explore the old hymns with energy and affection.

This music can be played in concert version, as written. Or, as was done at the premiere performance at the Braintree Hill Meetinghouse, the audience/congregation may sing each hymn before the winds play their instrumental interpretation. [For this purpose, the hymn tunes are provided in the appendix to the published score and also a free printable PDF download above on this website page.]

Notes by the composer