Review

Traditional
14 Advanced Christmas Favorites:

Arranged by Sean O’Loughlin


New York, NY, United States
Publisher: Carl Fischer
Date of Publication: 2012
URL: http://www.carlfischer.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with media
Secondary Genre: Elementary Material - solo

These fairly standard Christmas tunes for the student trombonist use fairly easy rhythms, keys up to five flats, all parts in bass clef, and modest range, G–a-flat1. The parts are well marked with dynamics, articulation patterns, accents, etc. I would like to see alternate positions indicated to introduce/reinforce efficient slide technique, but that’s a minor quibble. An F-attachment might help with some technical issues but is definitely not necessary. The arrangements are medium-easy – medium-advanced, and almost all are playable by the average school trombonist. They look like fun to play. The “hook” here seems to be the play-along compact disc that comes with the collection. There is no piano part available, so the performer must use the CD, which includes snappy orchestrations. Mr. O’Loughlin writes exciting, full orchestra accompaniments. Some of the arrangements give a nod to other composers. We hear an inventive “melding” of Angels We Have Heard On High and Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro, for example, as well as O Little Town of Bethlehem played to snippets of Bach’s “Prelude in C Major” from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Other orchestrations in the collection display fine “Hollywood” scoring. Unfortunately, students may have a hard time playing along with the CD, as some of the introductory syncopated rhythms do not lend themselves well to the average student’s ability to subdivide the pulse, and there is no “click and count-off” starting the arrangements. That said, after negotiating this problem, these are undoubtedly quite enjoyable to play and perform, and they will surely hold a student’s interest. Consider them a fine addition to supplementary holiday solo literature for the advancing, intermediate trombonist. 

-Michael Davidson
University of Kansas