Review

Friedrich August Belcke
Prayer:

Arranged by Niels-Ole Bo Johansen

Trombone and piano

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2020
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and solo part.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Prayer is an original composition for trombone and piano by the eminent 19th Century virtuoso Friedrich August Belcke (1795-1874), edited by Niels-Ole Bo Johansen. This short piece, just 45 measures long, is cast in the German Romantic tradition, reminiscent of Carl Maria von Weber’s famous Romance, but the clarity and simplicity of its melodic lines and arpeggios favor less pathos. The solo trombone part lies mostly in the mid-range of the instrument, from a to b-flat¹. The piano accompaniment is also quite simple, enabling this piece to come together quickly for student level performances, reminiscent of similar offerings in Solos for the Trombone Player compiled by Henry Charles Smith.