Review

Dan Jenkins
Fantasia:

Coventry, , United Kingdom
Publisher: Warwick Music Publishers
Date of Publication: 2010
URL: http://www.warwickmusic.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - unaccompanied

Jenkins, a British trombonist and composer is a member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Fantasia is dedicated to Ian Bousfield. According to the prefatory notes this piece is written ‘after Malcolm Arnold.’ The work includes musical quotes from Fantasy for Trombone, Four Cornish Dances, Four Scottish Dances, The Padstow Lifeboat, and Arnold’s Brass Quintet. 

Large leaps, rapid lip slurs, flutter tonguing and smears make this a challenging piece.  The passages are demanding but lie well on the slide and are full of interesting musical nuance. The composer includes several ossia passages making the piece more accessible if necessary. And he has done a terrific job conveying his intentions throughout the work with unusual and descriptive annotations. One such notation that might actually cause confusion comes with the gesture called “on plug” trills, which are to be played with the f-attachment. It is interesting that he specifically requests notes in several sections be played in sixth and seventh position to portray the visual side of the instrument for the audience. 

This piece is light-hearted and fun, a terrific recital piece. Sample score and midi excerpt can be found at: www.warwickmusic.com. Fantasia was recently recorded by Brett Baker on the album Fanfare on the White River Evocations label: WR12-04.

-Patrick Lawrence
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point