Three separate compositions, each composed in 1621, are frequently grouped together to form this suite: the "Galliard Battaglia," the "Courant Dolorosa," and the "Canzon ad imitationem Bergam" more often called the "Canzon Bergamasque." These pieces were originally written for five viols with a continuo realized from the instrumental bass line, but Scheidt indicated that other instruments could be used.

The brass instrumentation is generally two trumpets, horn or tenor trombone, trombone or euphonium, and tuba.

The galliard, a vigorous court dance popular during the sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, had fairly aggressive, or, at least, energetic moves: four hops on the ball of one foot while the other moved forward in a sharp kick, a vigorous jump, and a "posture" (a stance with one foot resting in front of the other). The coupling of this dance with a battle theme seems a reasonable association.

Played in a lively tempo in F major, the two trumpeters apparently represent the two sides of the battling parties as they echo and attempt to outdo each other. The first call ascends in quarter notes and quickly descends to a cadence; the second trumpet echoes this exactly. The next call has the same high and low points as the first but with flashy passing tones in between, and it is in the Mixolydian mode (adding an E flat to the F scale). The other brasses meanwhile underpin the trumpets with simple pulses. The calls come closer together (at one measure instead of two). The trumpets begin to deliver rhythmic variations on repeated tones and simple scale runs, exaggerating the piano and forte dynamics.

Before the coda, a more stately dance proceeds in quarter notes almost like a chorale. Suddenly, the five parts break apart in wild counterpoint for a most impressive ending.

The "Courant Dolorosa" in Andante tempo reflects on the sad and weary aspects of battle. The courante (the fast Italian version was called the corrente) was a dance and instrumental form of the sixteenth to mid-eighteenth centuries, the French version being a dignified, majestic dance in triple meter. The simple melody in G minor played by two trumpets has an unusual structure made by repeating fragments like commentaries and extending sections by extra measures: the first section has phrases lasting 4 + 2 + 5 + 4 + 4 + 4 measures. The middle section has slightly more lilt to it and some lovely harmonic modulations between B flat and G harmonic minor. The final section has the asymmetrical structure 3 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 5.

The victorious "Canzon Bergamasque," based on secular tunes, opens with a simple call made from a broken chord and a scale run which is imitated in the five voices firstly every two measures, then every two beats. Later this happens at every one beat creating surprising harmonic changes. The rhythm is changed again in a stately cantabile passage in 6/4 and the piece concludes with a wonderful crescendo of fast trumpet calls and powerful sustained low notes.

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