Review

Giovanni Gabrieli
Hodie Christus Natus Est:

Arranged by Elliot Chasanov

Eight part trombone choir

Vancouver, BC, , Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2017
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

This 8-part setting is Ch.C8 from Sacrae symphoniae of 1597; Gabrieli also composed a 10-part setting of this text, Ch.40, which tells of angels singing. Both were written à Cori Spezzati and the original design is preserved in this arrangement for two choirs of three tenor trombones and bass trombone in the first mode, Dorian, given here as F-Dorian. As is typical for this composer, the work involves alternating sections of duple and triple-meter. This music looks quite comfortable in the medium of the trombone ensemble and should be impressive in performance.  Parts in both choirs present equivalent levels of difficulty. This excellent arrangement is well within the capability of a good student group. 1st parts and 2nd in ‘A’ choir are given in tenor clef, otherwise in bass clef. First parts top out at c2, 2nd part in ‘A’ choir at b-flat1 and in ‘B’ choir at g1. Bass trombone in ‘B’ choir goes down to BB-flat. Dr. Chasanov is Professor of Trombone at the University of Illinois. He has assembled four other arrangements currently available from this publisher.