Review

Elizabeth Raum
The Secret of Ben Søgen: for Bass Trombone and Piano

Arranged by Gordon Cherry


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

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

Elizabeth Raum’s The Secret of Ben Søgen for tenor trombone and piano was reviewed in these pages in 2023 by Lucas Borges (www.trombone.net/review/?reviewid=464). The publication of this delightful work in a version for bass trombone and piano is the subject of this present review.
Lucas Borges’ review covers the technical aspects of The Secret of Ben Søgen and they need not be repeated here. In the version for bass trombone, some of the higher passages of the original version have been lowered an octave and no harm is done to the piece. Melodic lines flow sensibly and if one had never heard the original version, one would not suspect that the new version is a twin.
The piece takes its inspiration from Nordic heroes that the composer found in comic books and video games, and Raum set out to write a piece about the Danish mythical character Ben Søgen. But Raum tells us that Ben Søgen has a secret: he isn’t a mythical character from days of yore. He doesn’t exist in the annals of Danish mythology. He is a creation of Elizabeth Raum, and his name is a pun on the Danish words for “trombone quest,” hence, “Ben Søgen.” The review copy of The Secret of Ben Søgen does not have this important information; it appears on the Cherry Classics website. Including the composer’s program note in the publication itself would be helpful.
Elizabeth Raum is a friend of the trombone, having written a substantial number of works for tenor and bass trombone. The Secret of Ben Søgen is a welcome addition to the repertoire and this new version for bass trombone will make it accessible to more players and audiences. Recommended.