Review

Randall Malmstrom performed professionally as a tenor, bass, and contrabass trombonist not only for opera, but also for ballet, symphony, touring Broadway shows and big bands. His Facebook page says “retired,” but his output of well-written arrangements for trombone and brass is extraordinary. Cherry Classics Music has published 39 of Randy’s arrangements in their catalogue to date. He has a well-deserved reputation as a talented, creative, and prolific arranger for trombones and other brass, as evidenced by his exquisite arrangements for Trombone Unit Hannover.


This Wagner Prelude is a well-written, playable arrangement of one of my favorite works. The orchestral preludes to Acts I and III from Lohengrin are frequently performed separately as concert pieces. Many consider the Act I prelude Wagner's greatest single composition, an inspiring free-variation curtain-raiser on one, soaring theme.

If you have prepared the excerpt from the opera for an audition, the tenor aria In fernem Land – “In a far-off land," you will notice that the three trombones and tuba play this same soaring theme from the opening of the Prelude to Act I from rehearsal 62 for about 17 measures: that takes about 36 seconds. This arrangement comprises about five-and-a-half minutes of delicate, sensitive, beautiful music on the highest artistic level.

Though only half as long as the original nine-minute prelude, Malmstrom’s clever arranging makes this shortened version work well. The wonderful themes are generously shared between all eight parts. That is good news for the players, but also a challenge, since this highly complicated music requires professional performers on every part. The first trombone part calls for alto trombone; that is probably a good idea, as it has a high tessitura and “Brahms I chorale”-level delicate entrances throughout, especially at the ending where the ppp A major chord ends the composition. Four parts are in tenor clef and bass trombone parts 4 and 8 are in bass clef. The lower bass part 8 will challenge the best player. That is not to discourage one from programming this challenging arrangement. It is worth the effort!