Review

Charles Ives
Four Songs:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2010
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano
Secondary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

In his ongoing pursuit to expand the literature for our instrument, Ralph Sauer has transcribed the following four songs of Charles Ives: Memories, The Side Show, Dreams and War Song No.2 (He is There!). These four songs were not originally composed as a set. In fact, their dates of composition range from 1897 to 1921. Ives was an American modernist composer whose works were celebrated late in his life. 

When trombonists perform vocal selections, the song choices usually contain lyrical and beautiful melodies. While this song cycle continues in that tradition, particularly with Dreams and the second part of Memories, it also includes lively, buoyant and march-like selections that at times work better on trombone than they do with voice! Mr. Sauer includes the text for each song at the beginning of the collection. However, I think some of the music/text relationship is lost when the performer reads from music that does not align with the text. Phrase markings have been added in some places and changed in others to indicate where to breathe, but one must be careful not to misconstrue phrase markings for slurs. I understand the reason for changing some phrase markings, primarily in Dreams, but this also adds a level of disconnect between the music and the text.  

The tenor trombone versions are almost identical to the original works, but placed in bass clef. The tuba/bass trombone versions are written a major-seventh below the originals, but could have been just as easily performed down a full octave. The overall range of the tenor version is B-flat to g1; the bass version ranges from C to a. These songs can be performed at the college level and will serve well as an introduction to performing vocal repertoire on trombone. 

-Cory Mixdorf
University of Arkansas