Review

Johann Sebastian Bach
Arioso:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2010
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

Ralph Sauer, retired Principal Trombone of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, has arranged this well-known piece into a playable format for four trombones. The original work appeared in Bach’s Cantata No.156 as well as his Clavier Concerto No.5. The top two voices, both given in tenor clef, take turns carrying much of the melodic material with the first part usually presenting an ornamented version of the melody first heard in the second part. These parts range up to a1 but don’t hang in the high register too much. The third part, given in bass clef, carries the melody some of the time and requires a solid g1 in the high range. The bass part sticks to the bass line with no melody. It is unfortunate that the bass trombonist never gets to play the tune but such is often their lot in life. The parts I reviewed are in .pdf format and appear clean. This arrangement is an ideal addition to a quartet’s “gig book.” It is available directly from the publisher at www.cherryclassics.com.

-Brad Edwards
University of South Carolina