Review

Samuel Barber
Adagio for Strings Op.11: arranged for eight trombones

Arranged by Jim Pugh


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

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

Samuel Barber was a two-time Pulitzer Prize winning American composer, best known for his composition, Adagio for Strings. Composed in 1936, Adagio for Strings was originally conceived as the second movement of his String Quartet Op.11, before being arranged for string orchestra the same year. An emotional and dramatic work, Adagio for Strings was famously broadcast at the announcements of the deaths of Presidents John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt, and performed for many other occasions of mourning. Jim Pugh’s arrangement for trombone octet is written for 6 tenor and 2 bass trombones. In his arrangement, Pugh does a superb job of dividing the melodic lines among the top five trombone parts, which gives players a chance to play the melody while also providing rests throughout the piece. Pugh’s arrangement is not over-orchestrated, which allows the delicate soft sections to contrast with the dramatic climax. The first trombone part extends up to d-flat2, while the eighth trombone part descends to FF. Preserved in the original key of f minor, the score and parts include planned breath marks, aiding the ensemble’s phrasing. Pugh’s arrangement of Adagio for Strings is a great piece for a college or professional-level trombone ensemble. It gives the ensemble an opportunity to work on sustained soft dynamics, blend, and melodic playing at slow tempos.

-Russell Ballenger
University of Mary