Review

Various
Russian Folk Songs: Volume 1

Arranged by Vladislav Blazhevich


Chicago, IL, United States
Publisher: Briar Music Press
Date of Publication: 2009
URL: http://www.briarmusic.com

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

This collection consists of ten, short Russian pieces arranged for four voices. The origins of the pieces vary; several are listed as “Traditional,” while others are attributed to certain composers, one of which is Blazhevich himself. Vladislav Blazhevich was an early 20th century Russian trombonist and educator best known in America for his pedagogical materials, such as his Clef Studies and Sequences. He also composed several solo trombone works, perhaps the most well-known being Concert Piece No.5.

The present arrangements show Blazhevich’s more musical side—in their beauty and simplicity; one is reminded of 19th century Russian orchestral writing. This homophonic style is consistent throughout, but the pieces do vary quite a bit in length from No.8, Song of the Commune, only about 20 seconds, to No.10, Don’t Cry Over the Corpse, about 2 minutes. Titles are often given in Russian, but all are translated into English. Dynamics and articulations are well-marked throughout. The Trombone 1 part is given in alto clef, but a tenor clef version is also supplied. If all ten arrangements are to be performed, the Trombone 1 part does become quite taxing—it regularly ascends to c2, and the lowest pitch in any of the arrangements is e, occurring only once. The other parts are quite accessible; bass trombone dwells mostly in the bass staff. Its lowest pitch is D. Of particular interest are the aforementioned No.10, which juxtaposes duple and triple rhythms, No.7, The Motor, which is almost an exact transcription of one of Blazhevich’s famous duets, and No.5, The Cheerful Blacksmith, which is probably the most challenging of the set, but if played well, has a much more lighthearted character than the others. This set is probably most appropriate for a university trombone quartet or ensemble with strong players for the top, high part. For concert or recital, selecting favorite pieces from the ten is probably more appropriate due to the issues of endurance and homogeneity of style. However, there is plenty of quality material from which to choose.

-Thomas B. Cox
Toccoa Falls College