Review

Hector Berlioz
“Witches’ Sabbath” from Symphonie fantastique Op.14:

Arranged by Randall Malmstrom


Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2014
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

In Berlioz’s 1844 treatise on modern instrumentation , he describes the trombone as “epic…possessing the highest degree of nobility and grandeur.” He notes the instrument’s ability to depict an orgy, a chorus of priests, a subdued lament, a call for the awakening of the dead and many other fantastic musical pictures. It is no understatement to refer to Berlioz as not only a champion of our instrument, but as a pioneer in utilizing the trombone to have a more active, scene-setting role in the orchestra. His Symphonie fantastique is a perfect example of giving trombones such a role. In this arrangement of the “Witches’ Sabbath,” Randall Malmstrom, freelance trombonist in the Portland and Seattle areas, has taken Berlioz’s love of the trombone to the extreme by arranging it for nothing but trombones. While I wholeheartedly understand the enthusiasm toward such an undertaking, the final product carries with it impracticality and subtracts the authenticity of the original work. The arrangement is essentially a direct transcription of the symphonic work, meaning that trombones are playing parts meant for quick moving strings and agile woodwind keys. Much of the parts are non-idiomatic for the trombone and certain sections are nearly impossible to perform with clarity. Besides the sheer difficulty of the parts, most of what made Symphonie fantastique so profound was how Berlioz utilized each instrument’s strength to display a particular character. Without these specifically-chosen timbres present, the essence of the piece is lost. However much I would love to hear a group perform this work, I can think of only a small number of ensembles that could tackle such a monumental feat.

-Cory Mixdorf
University of Arkansas