Review

Erich Korngold
Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen: from 'Die Tote Stadt"

Arranged by Denis Jiron

6 tenor, 2 bass trombones, triangle, glockenspiel

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2020
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

Banned by the Nazis due to composer Erich Korngold’s Jewish ancestry, Die Tote Stadt (The Dead City) was one of Germany’s most popular operas in the 1920s. The story centers around the character Paul, whose wife, Marie had recently died. For a country that had just come out of the horrors of World War I and was dealing with the crushing consequences of defeat and the terms of the Treaty of Versailles, an opera that dealt with love and loss—and the psychological drama of dreams and hallucinations—proved timely.

A highlight of Act II is the aria Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen (My Yearning, My Obsession) sung by the character Fritz. The crushingly beautiful song—a waltz—is accompanied by Korngold’s lush harmonies and evocative orchestration. Denis Jiron has arranged the aria for eight-part trombone ensemble (really it is for tenor trombone solo with seven-part accompaniment) requiring one percussion player, triangle and glockenspiel.

The result is an attractive arrangement—the Cherry Classics website’s listing for the piece includes a link to a YouTube video where Jiron has overdubbed all eight parts himself—that presents a few challenges. Reducing an orchestra score to a trombone ensemble inevitably leads to cross voicing where accompanying parts are, at times, in a higher register than the soloist. Cup mutes are required for parts 2, 3, and 4 and straight mute also for part 2; these are helpful in keeping the accompaniment from covering the solo line although using them on more parts and more frequently might help the balance between ensemble and soloist. The solo part’s range covers C to g-flat1—the arrangement is in Korngold’s original key—and therefore rests comfortably in the trombone’s core range. But the second trombone part extends up to e-flat2—with a cup mute! The sparse  percussion part is a nice addition but is not essential; Jiron does not use it on his YouTube recording.

In the hands of a talented trombonist like Denis Jiron, this arrangement of “Mein Sehnen, mein Wähnen” comes alive. He is an exceptionally accomplished, sensitive player who has the musicality and flexibility of expression that is needed to put the aria across. Less accomplished players (and conductors) will need to work to ensure that the thick texture of the accompaniment does not obscure the solo line.