Review

Anton Bruckner
Motet: Asperges me

Arranged by Ralph Sauer

Three tenors and one bass trombone

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

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 4 trombones

Austrian composer Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) is perhaps best known among trombonists as a composer of large-scale symphonic works. Most of his career, though, was spent as a church organist and it is in this setting that his many sacred works were composed. Blending late 19th century harmonies with older forms, like the motet, Bruckner’s choral works remain popular among musicians. Ralph Sauer enjoyed a long and distinguished career as the principal trombonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, retiring in 2006 after 32 years of service to the orchestra. Though his arranging work dates back many years, the current pace of his publication through Cherry Classics is somewhat dizzying; the Cherry Classics website lists over 200 of his arrangements, transcriptions, and compilations.

The motet Asperges me is not the first of Bruckner’s choral works that Sauer has set for trombones. This motet is arranged for a trombone ensemble of four parts. Trombone 1 and 2 are notated in tenor clef; parts 3 and 4 are in bass clef. The range of the parts will not be prohibitive to most players since trombone 1 does not go higher than B-flat1, while the bass trombone does not descend past BB-flat. As should be expected in a vocal work, all parts require smooth legato and emphasis on long musical lines. Though not a long work, it manages to feature a relatively full range of dynamics while showcasing some of Bruckner’s characteristic harmonic excursions.

In what I’ve come to expect as typical from Sauer/Cherry Classics collaborations, the score and parts are neatly, accurately, and helpfully laid out. This arrangement is another lovely addition for trombone ensemble by Ralph Sauer.