Review

Richard A. Schwartz
The Sight-Reading Workbook: Baritone, Bassoon, Cello, Double Bass and Trombone Edition:

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Publisher: Silver Key Music
Date of Publication: 2012
URL: http://www.silverkeymusic.com

Primary Genre: Study Material - method
Secondary Genre: Study Material - etude

This book presents a series of short, challenging etudes to be sight-read. They are divided into two chapters. Chapter one presents etudes with just notes and rhythms; chapter two adds dynamics and articulations. Ranges tend to be low for the trombone, and consequently this book should only be attempted with an f-attachment or bass trombone. The difficulty lies in how fast they are played. As no tempo or metronome markings are given, they can be made easier or more difficult depending on their speed. Etudes stay in bass clef, eliminating the challenge of changing clefs that is common to music for most of the instruments listed here. There is no instruction on how to sight-read or subdivide rhythms, and the etudes do not seem to reflect any kind of systematic approach to sight-reading skills—beyond first focusing on notes and rhythms and then adding in everything else. They will be needlessly tricky for high school students and many college students. However, they are a nice challenge for advanced players and could be used in conjunction with the Lafosse School of Sight Reading and Style.

-Chris Buckholz
University of New Mexico