Review

Gabriel Faure
Elegie:

Arranged by Valory Strobel


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2007
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Piano score and solo part

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Originally composed for cello and piano in 1880 and later arranged by the composer for cello and orchestra in 1890, Fauré's hauntingly beautiful Elegie remains a beloved standard of the cellist's repertoire. Given the melody's beauty, I can understand the temptation for trombonists to adopt it. The question is: can they pull it off? The Molto adagio tempo is usually performed at roughly mm=50 to the eighth note; a challenge for breathing and phrasing. Although the piece ranges from C to c2, the tessitura is relatively low and demands good trigger technique. The rhythms of the middle section aren't as difficult as they look, especially if you are familiar with the piece. Strobel's arrangement retains the original key but makes a few changes to the solo part. For example, the B theme is placed an octave lower, not the best choice. Those familiar with the piece might wonder how Strobel handles the cello's fireworks right before the recapitulation.
His solution, simply assigning everything to the pianist, is understandable given the solo part's difficulty but this change fundamentally mars the climax of the piece. As is often the case with transcriptions, a good solution isn't obvious but perhaps an altered version of the solo part might have worked better here. Besides these changes, Strobel sticks to the original solo part, a decision which creates its own inherent problems. Twice, the soloist must sustain a low C for two measures at an extremely slow tempo. The low, flowing eighth notes under the piano melody requires considerable control of dynamics and breathing. If you or a student is eager to perform this piece, this edition is serviceable. Students are strongly advised to listen to a recording first and should be certain that their pianist is up to the part.

-Brad Edwards
University of South Carolina