Review

Alejandro Guardia, Jr.
Monolith: solo bass trombone and five trombones
solo bass trombone and five trombones

Louisville, KY, United States
Publisher: Potenza Music Publishing
Date of Publication: 2013
URL: http://www.potenzamusic.com

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with brass
Secondary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 6 trombones

A monolith is a large single, upright stone structure. Alejandro Guardia, Jr. chooses this large formation as the inspiration for his bass trombone solo. The composer writes, “the Bass Trombone represents the large mysterious figure and gives insight into what it has seen in its many centuries of standing watch over the area.” He also provides significant programmatic descriptions for the many sections of the piece, written in an arch-rondo form. The storyline depicts the monolith observing false idol worship, debauchery and bacchanalian dances, disease and death, riots, lamentation, and finally the monolith in repose. This IS NOT your typical bass trombone and ensemble piece! For an effective performance all members of the ensemble must be aware of the action to be portrayed at each point of the program and interpret the composer’s articulation and style comments accordingly. For example, an accent in the riotous section might have greater ferocity than that of just the strength of the stone structure.
 
The solo part covers a wide range of the instrument, from FF to b-flat1, but does not have extended passages in the pedal register. Optionally, the composer includes a solo tuba part with some material written an octave lower. Either is playable on bass trombone. The accompanying ensemble is comprised of four tenors and one bass trombone; there is a divisi in the first part for two measures of the piece. All of these parts feature melodic material and all tenor parts ascend to a1 or higher. The work uses bucket mutes in accompanying parts.  Harmonies utilize extended chords with five or six different pitches and energy is created using syncopation, pyramid effects, glissandi, flutter tonguing, and the juxtaposition of subdivisions between 6/8 and 3/4 groupings. Monolith was commissioned by Jose Leonardo Leon and premiered at the 2013 National Trombone Week festival in Aguascalientes, Mexico.

-Bruce Tychinski
University of Delaware