Review

Johann Sebastian Bach
Chorales for Brass Trio Volume II:

Arranged by Justin Chiang

B-flat trumpet, Horn in F, Trombone

Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2022
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 3 brass

Justin Chiang has taken familiar four-part chorales frequently encountered in music theory classes and arranged them for three-part brass trio. This second volume contains seventeen chorales, scored for a standard brass trio of: b-flat trumpet, horn, and trombone. Chiang conveniently provides English translations for each chorale.

These arrangements are not designed to turn Bach’s chorales into flashy concert repertoire; their strength is their practicality. They are short, generally around a minute in length, making them particularly well suited for church prelude music, where several could easily be performed in succession to create a longer set. They could also serve as excellent warm-up material, helping an ensemble establish unity at the start of a rehearsal.

The arrangements are written in comfortable ranges for all three instruments, making them accessible to student chamber ensembles. The only exception is that the trombone part occasionally ventures quite low for tenor trombone; some players may find the passages more comfortably played on bass trombone. These would also be very useful for developing ensemble skills like blending, balance, intonation, and musical phrasing, without requiring players to navigate technically demanding repertoire.

These Bach chorales are a welcome addition to brass trio repertoire, particularly for ensembles looking for versatile and practical material. Whether used as a lyrical concert selection, church music, student chamber repertoire, or a warm-up and intonation exercise, Chiang has created a collection that can serve a variety of purposes.

Chorales for Brass Trio Volume II was donated for review by Cherry Classics Music and is available at www.CherryClassics.com.  Written-pitch instrument range: trumpet in b-flat: d1 to g-sharp2, horn in f: b to g-sharp2, trombone: C to c-sharp1.