Review

Gerry Pagano
Arrivo:
Tenor, bass trombone duet

, United States
Publisher: Gerry Pagano
Date of Publication: 2026
URL: http://www.gerrypagano.org

Tenor and bass trombone books

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 2 trombones

Longtime St. Louis Symphony Orchestra bass trombonist and composer Gerry Pagano recently moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico—hence, “Arrivo,” Italian for “I arrive.” Each title of the ten duets within the set of books nods to some element of Santa Fe life: food, culture, philosophy, and more.

All of the pieces are even eighths (though some of the 9/8 settings present a swinging quality). Some duets include meter changes that add to the dance quality of the music, apparent in listening to the excellent performances captured on the album of the same name (well worth an independent listen). It is downloadable for free and includes these duets and eight other pieces, with Pagano playing both the tenor and bass trombone parts.

Some of the pieces span a very moderate range and are thus playable by good high school musicians; in other duets the tenor rises to c2 and a few B-flats, the bass descending to pedal FF. Each of the duets are quite melodic in both parts, providing each player tuneful opportunities. There are no improvised sections or provided chord symbols.

The format does not include courtesy accidentals, a score, or a genre-marking introducing each piece. Measure numbers consistently show at the beginning of each staff; but there are no rehearsal letters/numbers in six of the duets, and double bars appear in only some of the pieces. There are a few double-flats. While the notation is overall very clear, my copy of the bass trombone book had the bottom of the notes cut off in the last four bars of one duet (which I could then infer from the recording).

Most of the pieces include only a half-dozen or less dynamic markings (some none). While slur-markings abound, only four duets in the tenor book, for example, have accents; only two have any indication of a short articulation. So your own informed interpretation is essential when, for example, shaping a funk composition that includes only two accents.

It’s not a given that the provided parts match the articulations and lengths performed on the excellent recordings. For example, within “Blue Corn Donut” the bass trombone part at times requests full-value dotted-quarter notes while the recorded performer plays each only an eighth long. And where does one breathe during the nine-and-a-half-bar bass phrase? The performer made excellent choices that could have then been easily transferred to the written page so as to mentor the musicians attempting to perform the piece.

At times the recorded players are joined by a hand percussionist or full drummer. Providing an optional part for that role would have added an excellent dimension to these already fun and stimulating duet books.

None of these concerns will keep you from enjoying these great new additions to the tenor/bass duet repertoire, continuing the tradition of the Tommy Pederson trombone duets. I anticipate them appearing in many concert programs as well as functioning as educational duets between student and mentor in the teaching studio.