Review

Gioachino Rossini
Five Duos in 3 Clefs:

Arranged by David Mathie


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2023
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 2 trombones

Rossini wrote these pieces in 1806, when he was 14, for his father, who played valveless horn. Originally they were in e-flat; in this edition they are in b-flat.

Each Duo is given separately in bass, tenor, and alto clefs. Overall ranges are c-sharp - f1 for 1st and F - d1 for 2nd. In alto clef, there are notes three ledger lines below the staff, and in bass clef, two ledger lines above; the best ‘fit’ for all is tenor clef. All have a signature of two flats, and each has a playing time of about a minute. 

The set is arranged more or less in order of progressive difficulty. The first duo has no accidentals, the fifth has only three; the third is the most chromatic. In the first duo, the parts have almost identical rhythmic patterns; in the other four, they have more independence. In many 16th note groups, beams are solidified even though there is adequate space on the pages for systems to be a little wider, and production could have been better. This, however, does not detract from the value of these duos as study and practice material.