Review

Anton Bruckner
Ave Maria: 1882

Arranged by Jeff Reynolds

Four part trombone ensemble with optional contrabass trombone

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2019
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

This arrangement has a number of unusual features, principally involving the use of “just intonation” notations – up or down arrows to indicate tuning adjustments – as well as the inclusion of an optional contrabass trombone part doubling the fourth part, generally at the octave, sometimes at the unison.

Jeff’s arrangement is interesting from another point of view: he has included specific and frequent dynamic indications which create a contrapuntal feeling to the arrangement. At times the general dynamic level contains exceptions, as for example when a particular part starts a new phrase. At such moments, that part will have its own dynamic indication.

A final feature of this arrangement is the inclusion of an extra beat at some of the cadences, giving a “phrase mark” or pause allowing space in the music. I think that this way of arranging music, especially choral music, is extremely valuable for trombone groups. The principle gives spaciousness to the music and makes for a much more pleasing and sensitive result in performance. Bravo, Jeff!