Review

Anton Bruckner
Three Chorales:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer

3 tenor, 1 bass trombone

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2019
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

These arrangements are for three tenor and one bass trombone. The chorales are not identified but the information is available on the publisher’s web-site; they are from motets. Tonally they are a well-contrasted set. The first, Iam lucis orto sidere (WAB 18, ver1, 1868) is in the Phrygian mode, given here on F with a key signature of five flats. The second, in b-flat minor, originally f minor, is a 22 measure Passion chorale In jener letzen der Nächter (WAB 17, ver.2, 1848); and the third, in F major, originally A major, is Dir, Herr, dir will ich mich ergeben (WAB 12, c1845). The transcriptions are fully idiomatic to the trombone and are of intermediate difficulty, with first and third topping out in Dir, Herr at b¹ and d¹ respectively. 1st & 2nd parts are given in tenor clef, 3rd in bass. 4th part goes down to D-flat and is playable on tenor trombone with F attachment. This excellent addition to the quartet repertoire is now one of more than 30 arrangements by Ralph Sauer currently available from this publisher, altogether a significant contribution to the trombone literature.