Review

Giuseppi Verdi
Prelude to Act One from "La Traviata":

Arranged by Ralph Sauer

6 tenor, 2 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

The legacy of Giuseppe Verdi continues to loom large in the world of western art music. Though best known for his nearly thirty operas, Verdi also composed in other genres, including his 1874 Requiem. Among his operatic output are well-known works like Rigoletto, Nabucco, La Traviata, Otello, Falstaff, and Aida, perhaps his most famous opera. All of these and others are still widely performed. Ralph Sauer, retired principal trombonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and a prodigious arranger, has scored Verdi’s Prelude to Act 1 of La Traviata for eight part trombone ensemble. In Sauer’s setting, the group is divided into two smaller ensembles: parts 1-4, the 4th labeled as “Bass,” and parts 5-8, the 8th also labeled “Bass”.

Because Verdi’s prelude is so short, Sauer is able to include it in its entirety. The more chorale-like nature of the opening lends itself well to Sauer’s use of two smaller, alternating ensembles. Once the accompaniment becomes more rhythmically complex, the scoring becomes perhaps more conventional, with the melody and/or countermelody in parts 1-3 and the accompaniment split between the remaining parts.

All parts require players with smooth legato skills and comfort in a singing style, the upper parts especially.   The first trombone part requires a performer with a strong upper register that includes d2; the ability to be light and nimble is also necessary. The bass trombone parts are not particularly low, especially part 4. Trombone 8 never descends below AA-flat, but requires a player with a light touch in Verdi’s bouncy accompaniment. Parts 1-3 are given in tenor clef; the rest in bass clef. Score and parts are thoughtfully and clearly laid out with helpful cues in individual parts.

Verdi’s operatic works are standards and some of the best examples of the genre. A quality arrangement like this allows trombonists even more access to his music and serves as a nice addition to our repertoire.