Review

Eugène Gigout
Grand Choeur Dialogué:

Arranged by Karl Hinterbichler


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2006
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

Eugène Gigout (1844-1925), a pupil of Saint-Saëns, held the position of organist at St. Augustin Church in Paris for 62 years and composed prolifically for his instrument. Grand Choeur Dialogué was written in 1881, either for two organs, commonly found in large Parisian churches, or to exploit two divisions on one instrument. This imaginative and brilliant transcription is for 6 tenor and 2 bass trombones, divided into two choirs, and is of a high level of difficulty. Much of the passagework is in sixteenths and can be quite chromatic. First parts are particularly demanding, with a consistently high tessitura topping out at d-flat2 in 1st choir and c2 in 2nd. Bass parts go down to AA-flat. This work is in the grand tradition of French romantic organ music, and should be thoroughly effective as a virtuosic showpiece for trombone ensemble. It begins with a simple 4-bar statement presented by first choir, answered by second, then developed through a process of variation on this basic theme with textures becoming increasingly complex. For the antiphonal effect to be clear, the two groups should be spatially separated as much as possible. Professor Hinterbichler heads the low brass department at the University of New Mexico.

-Keith Davies Jones
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada