Review

Julius Klengel
Hymnus: Op.57 for 12-part trombone choir

Arranged by Brian Conklin

Seven tenor, five bass trombones

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

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 9+ trombones (choir)

Hymnus is a 12-part trombone choir arrangement, originally for 12 cellos. The piece is in one movement marked Andante cantabile. It is tonal, based on lilting, legato eighth notes in 6/8 meter throughout. Its second half incorporates staccato sixteenth notes in many parts as well.

There are seven tenor parts and five bass trombone parts. The highest note in the first tenor part is b¹. The bass parts delve well within the lower range, making this a unique piece for a choir that has a lot of depth in that area. Even the first bass trombone part ranges from GG to a, and there are BB's in the inner parts as well.

Rhythmically varied polyphonic groups within the choir and extreme dynamic changes create antiphonal effects. This piece will make a nice addition to a performance in a reverberant space and may be suitable as a modern companion to Renaissance music that incorporates some of the same compositional practices.