Review

Amy Beach
Eskimos, Op.64:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2012
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Amy Beach's Eskimos Op.64 was composed in 1907 for solo piano and is set in four descriptive vignettes: Arctic Night, The Returning Hunter, Exiles, and With Dog-Teams. Beach discovered recordings of early Inuit songs and set them to “Western” harmonies. Mr. Sauer has extracted the soprano line from each of these movements and placed it into the solo part, appropriately adjusting for octave issues. The first and third movements are slower and lyrical, while the second and fourth movements provide a nice articulated contrast. There is a distinct folk nature to these melodies with elements of aria and recitative supplying many opportunities to demonstrate musicianship. Mr. Sauer does a superb job with articulation markings. Range extends up to d2. At the time of this review, recordings of the piano version could be found on the Internet. This elegantly composed work is tastefully arranged for tenor trombone and is well suited for a college recital and/or an ethnomusicology project. Versions for euphonium, bass trombone, and tuba are also available.

-David Stern
University of Maine