Review

Mike D'Ambrosio
Tip of the Spear:
Six tenor, two 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 - 8 trombones

Mike D’Ambrosio’s Tip of the Spear is a scintillating work for trombone octet written for Li Kuang and the Murray State Trombone Choir. It was premiered by the ensemble at the 2019 International Trombone Festival. The work begins with a triumphant unison fanfare. In it D’Ambrosio introduces motivic patterns that will inform the ensuing measures. He layers lines, often in close harmonies, one atop the other. A blazingly fast 5/8 section follows the introduction. The lower trombones introduce rhythmic ostinatos upon which ascending melodic patterns build. The subsequent section, marked “A little slower” and in 4/4 meter, is still quite rapid. Lyrical, legato lines in the upper parts soar above syncopated ostinatos in the lower parts. A soft, sustained section follows that calls for cup mutes and features close harmonies in the lower parts that undergird solo lines in the first and second trombone parts. A quasi recapitulation brings again both the 5/8 and 4/4 sections, but now at a different pitch levels and with the introduction of new motives and ostinatos. The work closes in a blaze of syncopated trombone glory.

Tip of the Spear is sure to be a crowd pleaser and thankfully is accessible to many college level choirs. Although it contains rhythmic challenges, it is written in quite reasonable ranges. The first part ends on c2 but is not exceedingly high and fits the abilities of many college level trombonists. Parts one and two contain a mixture of bass and tenor clefs and the rest of the parts are notated in bass clef. The two bass trombone parts are not extraordinarily low and can be performed with just an F valve. If you are a trombone choir director, this is a work that deserves your attention!