Review

Mike Fitzpatrick
Rhapsody for Trombone:

Coventry, , United Kingdom
Publisher: Warwick Music Publishers
Date of Publication: 2007
URL: http://www.warwickmusic.com

Piano score and solo part

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Australian trombonist/composer Mike Fitzpatrick started his performing career in various brass bands, winning a number of regional and state competitions. He is currently an instructor at the Advanced Training Wing of the Defense Force School of Music in Australia. Mike has composed for rock bands and stage bands as well as both brass and concert bands. Ensembles in Japan, England and Australia are currently playing a number of his works. In 2001 he won the Australian Songwriters Association Instrumental Song of the Year award.

This version of the Rhapsody is a piano reduction of the original, which was scored for solo trombone accompanied by brass band. The publisher’s promotional material states the following about this piece:  “The Rhapsody contrasts long lyrical phrases with fast driving rhythms; delicate writing to sweeping sonorities.” The work is cast in an ABA’ design with an extended cadenza. The melodic material is diatonic throughout and the harmonic and rhythmic language is also conservative. Range, technical and endurance requirements are not beyond a good college/conservatory level player. A recording of the brass band version with trombonist Brett Baker performing with Kew Band, Melbourne, Australia is available from Warwick Music: http://www.warwickmusic.com/CDs++Books/CDs+Classical/Tenor+Trombone/Baker+The+Southern+Cross.

-Karl Hinterbichler
University of New Mexico