Review

Gustav Mahler
Chorale from Symphony No.2 Finale:

Arranged by Thomas Zugger


Newton, IA, United States
Publisher: TAP Music Sales
Date of Publication: 2000

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 5 trombones

Thomas Zugger has arranged the chorale and instrumental introduction from the finale of Gustav Mahler’s second symphony and recast it for trombone ensemble. Although labeled a quintet, the first trombone part is split at times to account for the soprano solo in Mahler’s original composition. There is also a split that briefly occurs in the third trombone part. The piece is transposed down a perfect fourth in the arranged publication but still reaches as high as d-flat2 in the uppermost voice and c2 in the second part. The lower-most voice is intended for bass trombone and traverses a range of FF to a-flat1.

The arrangement corresponds directly with the first half of Mahler’s finale, beginning where the choir enters after the initial instrumental introduction. The opening chorale portion begins softly and with interpretive freedom in tempo. The harmony begins to chromatically rove during this opening passage, but the work remains close to D-flat major. The chorale is interrupted by an orchestral development of the preceding vocal passage and contains generally more motion. A second choral passage also gives way to the orchestral ending that offers the performers ample opportunity for vibrant expressivity through the written dynamics and different intensities of vibrato and subtleties in articulation.

The integrity of the overall piece is well-retained and offers great promise to skilled performers, who will be challenged to differentiate when the texture shifts in the original setting from choir to orchestra while not losing the aesthetic of the piece. Mr. Zugger adds additional articulation and phrasing marks that offer clues to facilitate phrasing and changes in texture, but these should not be executed at the expense of the aura of Mahler’s “Resurrection” symphony. Flexibility is also required to retain lyrical style across leaps of sixths and sevenths in all the voices. Altogether, the Chorale provides an excellent ensemble piece for skilled performers.

-Andrew Farina
Detroit, MI