Review

Various
Various Songs for the Lyrical Trombonist:

Arranged by Jessica D. Butler

Trombone and piano

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2021
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Written as a method for helping trombonists explore music not originally written for trombone, Jessica Butler’s Various Songs for the Lyrical Trombonist surveys a variety of vocal melodies from different eras in the history of western art music. Specifically, this text includes trombone transcriptions of seven songs: 1) Epitaph of Seikilos, 2) A chanter by Contessa de Dia, 3) “Casta diva” from Norma by Vincenzo Bellini, 4) Ständchen by Franz Schubert, 5) Kaddisch by Maurice Ravel, 6) Beau soir by Claude Debussy, and 7) Ariettes oublieés also by Claude Debussy.

At first glance, this seems like an ordinary book of trombone transcriptions of famous art songs and operatic arias. However, the real value lies in the introduction. The author is a music history professor, and this text challenges trombonists to transcribe any vocal melody using four considerations: 1) the text, 2) the relationship of the music to the text, 3) music theory, and 4) its original language and diction. It is clear that the transcriptions contained within this text are merely examples of how a trombonist might choose to set these various vocal melodies. We are invited to continue this process while exploring many more melodies of our choosing.

The author gives us a few paragraphs of instructions and background information at the beginning of each transcription so we might be better informed about the interpretation and setting of the melody we are about to play. While playing transcriptions of vocal music on trombone is not a novel concept, this approach certainly feels both better informed and intensely practical. It is my sincere hope that many trombonists and teachers will discover this text and take its philosophy to heart.