Review

Erik Satie
Trois Gymnopédie:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer

Trombone and piano.

Vancouver, British Columbia, United States
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2008
URL: http://www.CherryClassics.com

Score and solo part.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Ralph Sauer, retired Los Angeles Philharmonic principal trombonist, has added another excellent transcription to the trombone repertoire. This time he has transcribed the atmospheric piano pieces Trois Gymnopédie composed by Erik Satie in 1888. The Gymnopédie are often regarded as precursors to modern ambient music. These three short pieces are all in 3/4 time and the trombone part is in tenor clef. Each piece shares the same structure based around a short-long accompaniment and a simple flowing melody. Although not technically challenging, these pieces require the trombonist to maintain the smooth flowing feel of the melody. The first piece, marked Lent et douloureux, is the longest of these short pieces and stays in the comfortable range of d to g1. The second piece, marked Lent et triste, is the most taxing for the young trombonist with three entrances after rests on b-flat1. While this is the piece with the highest tessitura, staying in a range of b-flat to b-flat1 except for the final note on B-flat, there are evenly spaced rests that allow for a brief respite. The third piece, marked Lent et triste, shares similar melodic material with the first piece and the range of G to g1 makes it easily accessible. The only problem with this transcription, an unavoidable one in this case, is the matter of phrasing. The long phrases that the piano can make unbroken become a problem when the trombonist must take a breath. Sauer has done a wonderful job of editing and given some suggested breath marks. These make for good exercises in seeing how well the trombonist can mask his or her breath. The Gymnopédie will work well for the high school to college level student who is working on their tenor clef and mid to high range legato playing. The piano part, as mentioned before, is a simple short-long accompaniment that does not require an advanced pianist. The Trois Gymnopédie are a nice addition to the transcribed repertoire for trombone.

-Andrew Converse
San Antonio, TX