Review

Camille Saint-Saëns
The Nightingale: Le Rossignol:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2012
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

Interpretation of this brief work presents large difficulty. The original is scored for soprano voice, set largely in the upper register, rendering an ethereal, delicate quality. In a transcription for more earthbound instruments such as tuba or bass trombone, the soloist is given a difficult challenge on stylistic grounds due to the pitch requirements. Speaking of the piece in matters of technique, rhythm is free – indeed, it is marked Senza tempo, leaving  the performers to decide how to proceed; listen to one or more of several fine videos that can be found on YouTube. There is another technical challenge, not for tubists, but for bass trombonists: middle register trills. Trills on g and a must be negotiated. What place does a piece of this type have in the repertoire of a low brass player? I suppose a good case can be made for this type of piece as a recital encore or as something outside the norm for bass instruments… that is assuredly the case with this work!

-Philip Brink
Mahidol University College of Music