Review

George Gershwin
Three Preludes:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2006
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

The ever-popular George Gershwin (1898-1937) who straddled the divide between the worlds of popular and classical music, is still today one of the most performed of all American composers. The jazz influenced piano preludes were first performed by the composer in 1926 at New York’s Roosevelt Hotel. They were originally planned as a series of 24, of which only these three were published. They are also well known to many orchestral musicians through an orchestral transcription and they exist in various other forms. The first prelude features a blues motif and Brazilian rhythm. The second prelude, in c sharp minor, is slower and has more of a swing feel. The third subtitled “Spanish Prelude” shifts between major and minor and has a jaunty syncopated rhythmic motif. 

Performers and audiences will be sure to enjoy these new arrangements for tuba or bass trombone and piano by retired Los Angeles Philharmonic principal trombonist and renowned arranger Ralph Sauer. These arrangements are faithfully transcribed so as to retain their original character while taking full advantage of the playful character of low brass solo instruments. The solo part covers a range of GG up to b-flat. Though primarily intended for the tuba soloist, the advanced bass trombonist equipped with a modern double valve should have little trouble rendering even the more technically challenging of the 32nd note passages. The concise nature of these pieces makes them especially appealing to the low brass musician looking for a crowd pleaser to end a serious recital.

-Wayne Groves
Orquesta Sinfónica de Aguascalientes