Review

John Frith
Sons of Thunder:

Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2015
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

John Frith’s new work Sons of Thunder for bass trombone and piano is the latest in a line of pieces commissioned by British bass trombonist Jonathan Warburton. One of the most productive composer-performer duos in the trombone world, their other collaborations include A Beautiful Noise (bass trombone and 7-part trombone ensemble), Behind the Mask (bass trombone and piano), Blockbuster (bass trombone and wind band or piano), Concertino (bass trombone and wind band or piano), Ode to a Happy Bunny (solo bass trombone), Meditation (bass trombone and organ), Showcase (bass trombone and orchestra or piano), and Three Duets (two trombones).
 
Sons of Thunder is a brief, virtuosic work in ABA form that will make an excellent recital opener. The melodic material consists almost entirely of arpeggios beginning on the second sixteenth note of the beat with half-step glissando gestures that move the performer between non-related key centers, creating many passages fraught with accidentals. Bass trombonists must not only possess a great sense of rhythm and agility to navigate these melodies, but also a solid upper-register, as the piece extends upward to b-flat1 with frequent passages above f1. The B section is slightly slower and utilizes cup mute; however, it is still almost entirely staccato and may present articulation challenges with passages below the staff. The music is engraved well and easy to read in a manner consistent with many other works published by Cherry Classics.

-Erik Shinn
University of Florida