Review

Julio Hernaiz
Desentonada No.6:

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Publisher: Available from the composer
Date of Publication: 2023
URL: http://jhernaiz07@gmail.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with orchestra

Julio Hernaiz studied composition, piano, and conducting, at the University of Chile in Santiago. During his student years he wrote works for the Youth National Brass Ensemble (Tenten Vilu - Cai Cai vilu), the University of Chile Symphonic Band (Gente de la Tierra), and a string quartet (Desentonada N° 1). With Carl Hammond, he founded La Chile Big Band and dedicated himself to popular music, premiering original pieces, and arrangements, and graduating with a work for big band titled Ni tan docto, ni tan rotito.

After graduating, he worked as a big band pianist and is currently an assistant professor at the University of Chile in the fields of Composition, Harmony, and Solfege. His works have been premiered by the Usach Quintet, Percussion Ensemble (Homage to Guillermo Rifo), Ensemble 440 (Argentina), San Miguel Orchestra, the Serendipia Quartet, and the Copiapó Symphony Orchestra.

Desentonada No. 6 in his own words:
"Las desentonadas are a set of works born in 2013 in search of a language that fuses modern classical music with the traditional language of the Cueca and Chilean folklore, amalgamated with sounds of jazz. Since then, six Desentonadas have been written for different groups ranging from string quartet, solo guitar, vibraphone with piano, wind quintet, and chamber orchestra. No. 6 for solo trombone with chamber orchestra, was composed for trombonist Pablo James and premiered in Buenos Aires in April 2023. It is designed as a concerto in a classical format with cadenza sections that have jazz-inspired improvised music along with more modern trombone techniques. It returns to the old practice where the classical concerto soloist “improvised” in the middle of the first movement. The work consists of three movements where the first is a melody and the other two (II-III mov) are based on rhythms of Chilote folklore since the soloist (Pablo James) comes from the Island of Chilote. The sounds of folklore, classical music, and jazz are intertwined, worlds this composer has been exposed to."

In the score of the first movement the composer wrote a dedication that reads as follows: "To all my fellow trombonists whose time and friendship have made me a better musician."

This is a wonderful and unique addition to the trombone repertoire. There are traditional tonal, rhythmic, motivic, and formal gestures combined with inventive use of folkloric material, jazz, and multiphonics. An advanced graduate student should be able to handle the technical aspects of the trombone part.

YouTube video of the premiere performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtbgTwj6CJ0