Review

Gabriel Fauré
Sérénade Op.98:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2010
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano
Secondary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

This three-minute work, originally for cello and piano, is well suited to the trombone. Although a lyrical work, there is plenty of technical challenge in performing the sixteenth note passages of the middle section in a lyrical, yet musical style. In both versions of this transcription, Sauer is faithful to the original—making only minor changes, such as removing a few ornaments in faster passages to accommodate the trombone’s technical limitations. The trombone version is in the original key, b minor, and Sauer adjusted the octave in a few places to make the range, D-b1, more practical. Although transposed to c minor, down a seventh, the tuba/bass trombone version may be more effective since its lower range (GG-f1) requires fewer octave shifts in the melody, thus leaving the melodic climax of the main theme intact.

-Jeremy Kolwinska
Northwestern College (MN)