Review

Philip Harrison
Trombone Quartet:

Coventry, , United Kingdom
Publisher: Warwick Music Publishers
Date of Publication: 2008
URL: http://www.warwickmusic.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

Philip Harrison’s Trombone Quartet is a challenging and quirky piece featuring more than a hint of the music hall and brass band traditions. There are many characters presented in a variety of styles in this work that range from imposing to silly. The four movements: Introduction, Song and Dance, Hymn and Fete hold a virtual encyclopedia of ensemble devices. The form and transitions are often quite abrupt in a way that can easily jar the ensembles focus. In terms of playability, its jazzy, commercial language with shifting meters, large interval leaps and technical passages requires a fairly advanced ensemble. Range ascends to c2 and descends to AA in the bass but is quite manageable throughout. The complexity of ensemble writing requires rehearsal. This is definitely a lighthearted genre piece.

-Andrew Glendening
University of Redlands