Review

Various
Kendor Master Repertoire: Eight Grade 4 Works for Trombone

Arranged by Gerald Felker and Carl Strommen


Delevan, NY, United States
Publisher: Kendor Music
Date of Publication: 2013
URL: http://www.kendormusic.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Instrumental solo collections containing different composers and styles bring flexibility for various performance opportunities. The Kendor Master Repertoire collection for trombone is such a publication and is comprised of eight arranged solos from seven composers. Selections include two each from the Baroque and Classical period and the remaining four from the Romantic period; six of eight compositions are arrangements of vocal solos and the final two are arranged cello works. The project is well-conceived and fits the technical level for which the publication is intended. Tonal centers are varied, yet tend to gravitate to flat keys with a good mix of major and minor tonalities. The arranger has been careful to choose quality musical selections that include a variety of appropriate technical challenges. Brief notes about each selection are provided at the back of the accompaniment part, which are a welcome resource of both academic and stylistic information. One could wish for greater stylistic variation among the vocal arrangements as the selections tend to sound somewhat similar and utilize a narrow range of tempi. Nevertheless, each individual selection is a suitable choice. Being a publication that seems targeted to the educational market, inclusion of an accompaniment file or possibly a URL where such a file is available would be a fitting addition; such resources are becoming more common as an aid in preparation for performance. Overall, the publication is a welcomed contribution to the solo collection category of publications.

-Kevin Chiarizzio
Liberty University