Review

James Grant
Stuff: Theme with Seven Variations for Unaccompanied Bass Trombone:

Louisville, KY, United States
Publisher: Potenza Music Publishing
Date of Publication: 2012
URL: http://www.potenzamusic.com

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - unaccompanied

This version of Stuff is the same music as the composer’s tuba piece by the same name, but transposed up a perfect fifth. The range required for this bass trombone version is C to f-sharp1 but most of the notes fall within D to d1.

Commissioned as the first of four recital pieces for the 2001 Solstice/Equinox Commissioning Consortium, this work is a solid, low brass piece well suited for recital. As the title indicates, the initial theme is answered by seven variations. This theme is fairly slow and lyric with challenging leaps. Then, with each variation, the piece goes through a variety of styles, each posing a slightly different technical and/or musical challenge. The variation titles are quite descriptive: Lullaby, Insistent, Cartoon Music, Gregarious, Urgent, More Urgent and Swing it! The Insistent and Urgent variations feature fast sixteenth note challenges. Swing It! as its title suggests, is played in a jazz style. A worthy addition to the repertoire, this piece is best suited for players of an intermediate level or higher.

-Donald Babcock
Eastern Michigan University