Review

Various
15 More Hymns and Spirituals:

Arranged by Sonny Ausman


Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2009
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

This is a set of uncomplicated arrangements of well-known hymn and spiritual tunes for trombone quartet or 4-part trombone choir. The 14 arrangements (two songs, “The Church’s One Foundation” and “Christ is Made the Sure Foundation” are combined as a medley) are numbered 16 through 30 and vary between about 60 and 150 seconds in length. The first trombone part, which usually carries the melody, ventures as high as b-flat1 in many of these settings, and always includes at least one note g1 or higher. The bass trombone part generally requires fluency in the range from C to F.  All four parts are notated exclusively in bass clef. Traditional church favorites, such as “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” and “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” are included in this set alongside modern praise songs like “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and spirituals like “Goin’ Home” and “Shall We Gather at the River.”

These arrangements are ideal for a trombone quartet or trombone choir to perform at a church service or any similar occasion for which simple settings of well-known hymns and spirituals are appropriate. Many of the songs are set in non-traditional keys but they fit the range of the trombone well, avoiding extremely high parts or excessively close spacing. Performance with a choir, congregation, or organist may not be easy, although possible for church musicians willing to transpose, but these arrangements easily stand on their own merits as simple, beautiful trombone ensemble pieces.

-Tommy Cox
University of Georgia