Review

Joseph Russo
Seaside 1, 2, and 3:

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Publisher:
Date of Publication: 2010

Manuscript

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

This set of three short pieces is suitable for a younger quartet of trombonists, say, advanced high school players through college undergraduates. The first part lies quite high and requires mastery up to d2, which occurs several times. The other tenor parts go as high as b-flat2 and the fourth part requires F-attachment but does not go below C; a strong tenor player on an F-attachment horn can play it.

The first piece is marked Andante and features fairly traditional harmony with occasional startling dissonances, such as e-flat to f over an E natural in the bass part. There are interesting juxtapositions of dynamic contrasts and accents as contrasting elements in a primarily smooth texture, halves and quarters. The second piece is also Andante in tempo, although the parts are more active, often moving in eighths. While the first part is even higher in range than in the first piece it is written entirely in bass clef, at least in my review score. The piece is cast in 3/4 meter with one digression into 3/8 before the end. Seaside 3 is the most active of the pieces, starting in a quasi fugal style whose subject remains active throughout this piece. Players looking for a quartet that allows exploration of new sounds and harmonies without being insanely difficult will find this set of short pieces of interest.

-Philip Brink
Mahidol University College of Music