Review

Jocelyn Morlock
Sequoia: for Trombone Octet and Percussion
6 tenors (5 in tenor clef), 2 basses, Percussion - timpani, vibraphone, glockenspiel

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2009 / 2022
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

CBC  Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News release: March 28, 2023

“Members of Canada's music community are mourning the death of beloved musician Jocelyn Morlock, a Juno Award-winning composer who spent years as the composer-in-residence at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra… Morlock was known for her complex compositions that were inspired by birds and nature.”

From the score: “Sequoia is inspired by the profound beauty and grandeur of these giant trees that tower in the forests of Western Canada. The outer sections of this tripartite work are fierce and majestic, while the middle section is marked by relative quietude and fragility.”

Instrumentation:
6 Tenor Trombones (4 requiring B-flat/F valve)
2 Bass Trombones
Percussion - 1 player - Timpani (two drums), Vibraphone, Glockenspiel

Performance notes: “Sequoia, for Trombone Octet and Percussion, was originally conceived as a spatial piece to be performed using stopwatches (or cell phones, etc.) to synchronize the players. This edition has been edited for Sequoia to be conducted, which allows for more rhythmic precision amongst the parts, and is more desirable if the performers are not spread out within the space. From bar 139 to the end, durations are ad lib. and up to the ensemble of players. If the conductor prefers to be involved, they can show the crescendo, but they don' t need to beat time.”

Some of the earlier mini fanfares stretto are reminiscent of the Alpine Symphony, and similar grand compositions.

Among the several challenges in the score are unusual rhythms requiring extreme precision, and clarity sometimes at extreme dynamics, that fit together almost puzzle-like. Many sections require clarity in the bass clef staff and below, a challenge for most average trombonists. Most of the time the parts are extremely independent, requiring confident counting and preparation. The ad lib sections require an experienced conductor.

Buy it if you are looking for an awe-inspiring, attention-getting, extremely well-written composition that really touches your imagination.