Review

Anton Bruckner
Kyrie:

Arranged by Russell McKinney


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2003
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

Russell McKinney’s arrangements of the Kyrie and Sanctus parts of Anton Bruckner’s Mass No.2 in E Minor, donated for review by Cherry Classics, are re-orchestrations of a double choir (SSAATTBB) and 15-part brass and woodwind ensemble for trombone choirs of 8-12 parts. In contrast to typical forays into choral repertoire involving direct transcription, such as Bruckner’s motet Christus factus est, McKinney’s arrangement explores both Bruckner’s instrumental and vocal scoring techniques.

Although Bruckner’s opening Kyrie is in E minor, McKinney’s setting for eight trombones is in D minor. Despite the lowered key, the rescoring of a SSAATTBB choir (and accompaniment) for an AATTTTBB trombone choir can present range issues. As trombone 1 (alto clef) ascends to an f2 and the second-fourth parts (tenor clef) have multiple d2s, I recommend taking octave liberties at rehearsal C, especially for trombones 3 and 4. While part 7 (bass) could be played on a trombone with F-attachment, as it goes to D, trombone 8 (bass) requires a BB and descends to pedal DD. As part 8 has some divisi sections in octaves, it might work well with a tuba and bass trombone pairing. Kyrie works well on its own or paired with Sanctus, taken from the same mass.

McKinney’s companion publication of Sanctus for 12 trombones is set a perfect fifth lower than Bruckner’s original. The upper tessituras are well scored in that the alto trombone parts 1-3 (alto clef) require stable d2s and trombones 4-6 (tenor clef) ascend to a/a-flat1. The remaining middle and lower parts have modest range demands and reside comfortably in bass clef. Of the three bass trombone parts, the upper two, parts10 and 11, descend to E-flat while the lowest part, trombone 12, descends to a fff pedal EE-flat. Although this arrangement faithfully replicates Bruckner’s dynamics, I caution all to view the dynamics as intended for a church choir.

-Peter Fielding
36 Canadian Brigade Group (Nova Scotia) Band, Canada