Review

Brian McDonie
Here:
10 tenor trombones (2 in tenor clef), 2 basses

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

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 9+ trombones (choir)

The composer writes that he has “centered this piece on the theme of joy and playfulness” and hopes to give chamber ensembles “opportunity to connect with their diverse audiences”.

Scoring is for 12 trombones; 10 tenor and 2 bass. 1st part is given in tenor clef throughout; 2-9 are in tenor and bass clefs as appropriate, and 10-12 in bass clef only. A key signature of 4 flats is used throughout. Cup mutes are required in parts 1-6.

It begins with a tempo marking of Slow, the six upper parts playing a chord of A-flat, muted and piano. The lower parts enter in mm.4 and 5 as the middle parts play repeated 16ths, all parts now playing open, and a crescendo taking the dynamic up to fortissimo in m.6.

From m.18 it is hard driving at a tempo of dotted quarter = 120, with many repeated staccato 8th notes in the upper eight parts. There are frequent changes of meter; five different signatures are used - 5/4, 4/4, 2/4, 3/4 and 12/8, and in the middle and lower tenor trombone parts there is much use of complex and irregular rhythms. The two bass trombone parts are the most straightforward. The piece ends fortissimo on a tutti chord of A-flat spread over four octaves.

Overall range for 1st part is d-flat - d-flat2. Both bass trombone parts go down to FF. This piece is indicated by the publisher to be “Appropriate for advanced performers”. It will certainly be quite a challenging piece to play, and should also be very enjoyable for those who listen.

Brian McDonie is a trombonist who has served as a musician in the US Marine Corps and in the Air Force Band. He has a Masters Degree in Music from Indiana University, where he is currently pursuing a doctorate in music literature and performance.