Review

Gustav Mahler
Mahler: Three Songs :

Arranged by David Anderson

solo bass trombone with two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, and harp.

Fort Wayne, IN, United States
Publisher: Hard Brass Media
Date of Publication: 1990

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Chamber Music

This collection was premiered by Ed Anderson on his Indiana University faculty recital in 1990 and he recorded them on Ed Anderson: The Occasional Clam, available at CDBaby.com. Pieced together from surviving music from David Anderson’s New Orleans Studio after the flooding of Hurricane Katrina, this set of arrangements makes for a strikingly gorgeous bass trombone feature. Each movement comes from the vocal repertoire and displays the lyrical virtuosity of the instrument. Due to the delicate nature of this music and its challenging chromaticism, this work is most suited for an upper-level collegiate or professional bass trombonist. Equal ability is required from members of the sextet. The accompaniment contains many key and meter changes highlighting Mahler’s masterful harmonic conception. The solo part ranges from c to e2 making it accessible for tenor trombonists and euphoniumists alike. The opening movement, Nun seh’ ich wohl, warum so dunkel Flammen, comes from the famously melancholic song cycle, Kindertotenlieder. Although this movement stays true to the original work by retaining its key, some vocal solo passages are written for first trumpet rather than remaining with solo trombone. Unlike the original song, the ending of this movement resolves to c1 instead of e-flat1, most likely because the next song of the cycle is not included in this collection. The second song, Liebst du um Schönheit, from Rückert-Leider song cycle, is lowered two whole steps, and the third song, Ulricht, from Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” is lowered one half-step from its original key. Besides the change of key in these movements, no other alterations occur in the solo. The addition of harp to this ensemble evokes Mahler’s orchestral sound and as a matter of utility, covers critical string parts that are unidiomatic to brass instruments. This music sounds as if it could have been originally cast in the overall orchestration chosen by Anderson. It is dynamic, profound, introspective, mature, moving. It requires independence, confidence, balance and great intonation from the ensemble. More than six brass players may be used as long as they are distributed equally. Double parts are provided for this purpose.

-Pete Echols
Old Dominion University