Review


Paul Winter
Festfanfare: for 12-part antiphonal trombone choir with timpani (ad libitum)
Two alto, eight tenor, two bass trombones and optional timpani

Ithaca, NY, United States
Publisher: Ensemble Publications
Date of Publication: 2002
URL: http://www.enspub.com

Score and parts

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

Festfanfare is a twelve-part trombone choir arrangement of a brass choir piece that was composed for the World Eucharistic Congress (Munich, 1960). The piece includes an optional timpani part, but cues in the trombone parts make it performable without timpani. The two choirs of six trombones each may be set up in an antiphonal, cori spezatti style, maximizing antiphonal effects. Each choir includes an alto trombone part in alto clef, but alternate tenor parts in tenor clef are provided. The alto parts are not high, extending up to a-flat¹, but the tonal center of E-flat might make it tempting for strong alto players to take notes up one octave. The lowest pitch in the Choir B bass part is AA-flat, with an ossia pedal EE-flat indicated on the last note.  Precise rhythmic figures abound over shifting meters of 3/2, 2/2 and 4/4. This may not be apparent when listening to the piece, but in light of these complexities a few rehearsals might be advisable.

As the title suggests, Festfanfare is a short, celebratory flourish that one might expect to hear at the opening ceremony of a festival, complete with regal and sentimental interludes, and a fortissimo climax. Tonally, the piece is modern in style, reminiscent of the music of Howard Hanson or Walter Hartley. Festfanfare is well-suited for trombone choir.

Reviewer: Sean Reed
Review Published June 20, 2023