Review

James Markey
Variations on “Turkey in the Straw” :

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2008
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Piano score and solo part

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

James Markey, recently appointed bass trombonist with the New York Philharmonic, has written a solo in the turn of the 20th century “band solo” style. Markey himself says, “Over the past several years I’ve grown rather fond of music from Appalachia, particularly fiddling music. This, coupled with the fact that the bass trombone has long been neglected as a solo instrument for works of this nature, helped fuel my decision to create this arrangement ‘a la Arthur Pryor.’ This popular fiddling tune finds itself in a rather humorous rendition with this arrangement.” This straightforward arrangement demands little in the way of advanced or extreme techniques. High range extends to c2, with optional d2 and a sung g2 just before the end. The low end extends to DD in the opening cadenza.

The work begins with a brief piano introduction and solo trombone cadenza that features many grace notes, some encompassing wide intervals. Trombone states the “Turkey in the Straw” melody in G major and repeats it partially in the lower octave. Piano takes over with a ragtime style interlude ending in a cadenza. This leads directly into Variation 1, highly technical and quoting the Prelude from a Bach Cello Suite. Great flexibility is called for here as well as a light touch on the 32nd note passages. Piano takes charge once again and leads into the second variation in e minor and 3/8 meter featuring 16th triplets. The final variation is quite fast, marked Vivace quarter note = c.160, requiring a fast double tongue. Glissandi abound and are often set in a manner that requires them to be faked, as in a glissando from d to g or g to c1. In measure 184-185 an ossia raises the final arpeggio to d2. This variation ends the piece with the sung g2 followed by a pedal GG. The piano ends with the closing cadence of the Ravel Piano Concerto in G.

This piece is a welcome addition to the repertoire for bass trombone, featuring a style of music which has proved popular with players and audiences for many years and in which the bass trombone has had only a limited share. Now, with Mr. Markey’s piece we are greatly enriched!

-Philip Brink
Mahidol University