Review

Carl Nielsen
Two Fantasy Pieces Op.2:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2009
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Carl Nielsen (1865–1931) is one of the major symphonic composers of the twentieth century. In 1888, as a little-known orchestral violinist, he had considerable international success with his Suite for Strings Op.1. The Fantasy Pieces, originally for oboe and piano, were published the following year. They comprise Romance, in F minor (Andante con duolo), marked Molto espressivo and Humoresque (Allegretto Scherzando), which is in C minor, ending quietly in C major. Both are written in an unpretentious folk-song style and show little evidence of the powerful individuality that would emerge three years later in the First Symphony. Already however, there are enough unexpected chromatic twists and turns to keep driving conditions interesting. The Romance is mostly written legato; the Humoresque is characterised by passages of staccato eighth and sixteenth notes, often piano, with forzando punctuations. The piano part is easy and there are no serious technical difficulties for the trombone player whose part is given in tenor clef. Range is C to b-flat1. F-attachment is needed for the low C. This excellent transcription provides a welcome addition to student recital programs and may serve as an introduction to a composer whose writing for orchestral trombones can be fascinatingly idiosyncratic.

-Keith Davies Jones
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada