Pour cornet en Sib ou saxhorn Sib ou trompette en Ut our Sib et piano-Guillaume Balay (1871-1943) served in the French military as a prolific Cornet player having won first place in the 1894 Cornet Award competition at the National Academy of Music in Paris. His compositions were popular in the Cornet and brass repertoire at the time including his Andante and Allegro adaptable to Cornet Saxhorn or Trumpet with Piano accompaniment. This Balay work remains within the brass repertoire to this day and is suitable for intermediate level players. The Andante is in 12/8 meter and exploits the full range of the instruments. There is also much use of performance directions andarticulation. The Allegro is a much brisker tempo than the first movement and is in 2/4 time. The texture is predominantly melody-dominated homophony with the occassional use of call-and-response between the melody instrument and Piano accompaniment. This quirky two movement piece by Balay provides the intermediate Cornet Saxhorn or Trumpet player with a fun alternative performance piece.

Méthode complète de Cornet à Pistons for the Cornet Trumpet or Saxhorn composed by Guillaume Balay is a method for beginners in two volumes and one of the most complete for these instruments. This second volume follows the first introducing major and minor scales in the first chapter. The next two chapters develop what has been learned on liaisons and rhythm. Finally it brings up chromatic scales other rhythms and style studies. With this Méthode complète de Cornet à Pistons Volume 2 the method should be complete and the beginner should master the establishment ofthe notes and rhythms while obtaining a qualitative sonority. Guillaume Balay (1871-1943) is a French soloist and composer. As a member of the military he was the Head of Music for the Republican Guard and composed many chamber music and solo music pieces for Cornets and other Wind instruments. He was also a respected music teacher.