Review

Elizabeth Raum
Romance:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2001
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Originally written for trombone and chamber orchestra, Elizabeth Raum’s Romance appears here in an arrangement with piano accompaniment and alternative solo parts for horn, trombone, euphonium, bassoon, cello, viola, alto and tenor saxophone. The annual Canadian Music Competition commissioned the work. Raum has also composed a Romance for French Horn and Romance for Tuba and Piano.
 
As the title implies the work is lyrical, expressive, tonal and completely approachable by player and audience in the tradition of songs without words. The form is straightforward and the piano writing is idiomatic.  Although the range of the solo part in the piano score reaches from C to d2, a number of passages have been lowered an octave in the trombone version so that spans from C to b-flat1. A strong player might consider playing the upper passages in the octave given in the piano score. Romance will make a nice lyrical addition to a recital program.

-Andrew Glendening
University of Redlands