Review

Steven Verhelst
6.35:

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

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 9+ trombones (choir)

6.35 is a welcome addition to the catalogue of trombone ensemble repertoire brought to us by Belgian-based bass trombonist and composer, Steven Verhelst. Verhelst has most recently acquired some fame in the trombone world for his work on A Song for Japan.  

6.35 is a programmatic work, which musically depicts a day in the life of a trombone student at the Rotterdam Conservatory. In the piece you’ll find themes representing the stairway heading up to an 8:30 warm up class, early morning coffee, a theme that recurs throughout the work, George Wiegel, director of the Conservatory and former Principal Trombone of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the attractive librarian who served as an object of many trombonists’ affection (a suitable bass trombone solo) and room 6.35, the location of the weekly trombone ensemble rehearsal. With its length and depth, 6.35 can serve as a good “anchor piece” to any trombone choir concert. Verhelst’s experience as a trombonist is apparent; all the parts are idiomatically written and the work as a whole beautifully displays the instrument’s abilities in a large ensemble setting. The parts contain a large amount of graceful interplay that flow together to create fantastic musical pictures.

The fifteen parts are divided into two choirs, one including four tenors and two basses and the other including six tenors and three basses. The piece is advanced but accessible to college-level ensembles. Three of the tenor trombone parts reach d2 while the lowest bass trombone part reaches down to EE. Tenor clef is utilized to some extent in each of the tenor trombone parts. 6.35 is dedicated to Hironiro Suzuki, a bass trombonist friend of the composer who recently passed away.

-Cory Mixdorf
University of Arkansas