Review

John Walker
The Trombone in the Attic: 20 Short Recital and Study Pieces for the Intermediate Player

Arranged by Don Crowe


New York, NY, United States
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Date of Publication: 2015
URL: http://www.carlfischer.com

24 pages

Primary Genre: Elementary Material - solo
Secondary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

John Walker is the Director of Keyboard Studies at South Dakota State University and composed these new melodies for the intermediate trombone player. Don Crowe, Professor of Music Education and Low Brass at South Dakota State University edited the solo trombone parts. This selection comprises twenty solos for trombone arranged in a progressive manner; nineteen with piano accompaniment and number twenty is unaccompanied. The solo trombone parts are given in one collection as a book. Piano accompaniments are supplied on the CD as play-along MP3 files, also as printable PDF files. The solos are quite accessible for a junior high level student with a range covering two octaves from low G to high g1. Walker and Crowe use keys up to four flats and one sharp. There could be more use of sharp keys, i.e., D, A, to challenge students a little more since they often read flat keys in band programs. There are simple modulations in various solos to a neighboring major or sometimes minor key. Basic meters include 4/4, 3/4, 2/4, with compound meters 3/8, 6/8 and 9/8. Each solo has a different character and style, whether slow and melodic or fast and articulate. The titles give a good indication of style. For example, in Robot Boy you can imagine the robotic rhythm and articulation that might be involved. Other fun titles include: Army Cap, Monster Mask, Ticket to California, and Postcard from Yellowstone. Overall, it is nice to have new music written for the middle school to high school level trombone student. These solos give teachers and students a break from some of the standards that have been around for a while. I hope this composer writes more for the intermediate trombone player.

-Matthew Driscoll
Cornell and Central College (Iowa)