Review

Aaron Falck
Conspiratorial: Op.10, No.2

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2025
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Piano score and solo part

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

Conspiratorial is a short, energetic solo work for bass trombone and piano set primarily in D minor. Featuring brief modal shifts, it offers a manageable challenge for the young player through the use of raised accidentals. The composer indicates a moderate Andantino tempo qtr=90, and the work opens with a two-bar piano introduction in a rhythmic, agitated style.

Upon the solo entrance, the composer utilizes the unusual expressive marking minacciando (menacing or threatening). The opening four bars of the trombone solo feature a 16th-note sequence that modulates through various chord tones before transitioning into a gentler, soave character. A notable passage follows where the music modulates through a series of major sus4 chords, eventually driving into the low register to a trigger C.

The work follows an AAB form, utilizing a con forza repeat back to the opening material before transitioning to the B section, which returns to D minor. The composer lingers at the affettuosa with a meter change to 5/4 for one measure before returning to the common time used throughout the rest of the piece. A cinematic sequence of major triads leads to a striking C-sharp Major chord — the work's climactic high point.

After a period of "modal wandering," the piece weaves toward a strong final cadence in the relative F major. The bass trombone concludes with a powerful 8th and 16th-note sequence, descending the major scale to a heroic finish on a low F. This engaging solo would be an excellent addition to a young bassist's recital, jury, or festival repertoire. With a conservative range (pedal Bb to e1), I highly recommend Aaron Falck’s Conspiratorial as an introductory work for students beginning their journey on the bass trombone.