Review

Elizabeth Raum
Around the Bend:
Trumpet and trombone

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2019
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 2 brass

Around the Bend is a fun and exciting duet for trumpet and trombone alone. Its swift melodic material paints the picture of a chase with quick twists and turns. In a medium that is in great need of more repertoire, this duet is an exceedingly welcomed addition.

While there is no specific key signature, the melodic material centers around an F tonic, and explores many half step and augmented second melodic figures. This combined with the often noodling nature of the trumpet part creates a restless effect, which propels the piece ever forward. The duet opens with the trumpet in a clear melodic role and the trombone in a supportive bass role, but quickly morphs through several other formats. Both parts feature two, brief cadenzas; there is a section where the trombone has melodic material with minimal trumpet commentary, some brief moments of homorhythmic texture, and a section with a bass line ostinato in the trombone part.

Both parts play within a manageable tessitura; the trumpet part, in C, ranges from d¹ to a-flat², while the trombone part ranges from E to f¹. The rhythmic content is more difficult, however. Since the piece moves along at a fast pace and includes constant meter changes, it will be difficult for intermediate musicians. Around the Bend is best suited for college students (and beyond!) who have a strong foundation of time and rhythm.