Review

Robert Spillman
Five Songs Without Words:
Trombone and piano

Ithaca, NY, United States
Publisher: Edition Musicus
Date of Publication: 2019
URL: http://www.enspub.com

Score and solo part

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Robert Spillman was Chair of the piano faculty and Music Director of the Opera Program at the University of Colorado-Boulder. He also taught at the Eastman School. He has worked as an accompanist and vocal/opera coach in Germany as well as at the Aspen and Chautauqua festivals. Among bass trombonists, he is known for his Concerto for Bass Trombone and his Two Songs. Tenor trombonists will be well-advised to look into this thoughtfully-crafted song cycle.

These five songs are dedicated to Porter Poindexter, a trombonist with Broadway credits to his name. The descriptive movement titles are: Lament, Flight, Night Without Stars, Old Joy, and Yes/No. Range extends from AA-flat to e-flat² (there is one f² with an ossia d²) and includes a number of wide leaps. Glissandi make appearances in the piece as do extended techniques.

The first song, Lament (5:30), was inspired by the horrific mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Florida in 2016. It begins and ends on sustained B-flats over solemn piano quarter note chords. As the song progresses, the accompaniment becomes more flowing as the solo part gathers intensity, ranging briefly up to e-flat² and features moderately challenging beat subdivisions, 5:2 for example. The storm having passed, the song ends largely as it began. That classic sigh motive, the descending half step, plays a prominent role.

As might be expected from the title, Flight (2:30) features quintuplets and triplets in the solo part with a driving piano part and interplay between soloist and piano. The solo part alternates between driving runs and lyrical lines and, at times, has a minor pentatonic feel. The song ends with dramatic upward glissandi leading to punctuated d²’s alternating with piano chords, closing with dramatic low glissando to C. It is nice to see all the glissandi work on the slide; some composers don’t grasp this gesture.

The third song, Night Without Stars (4:30), features plaintive cup mute passages, light scoring with moments of silence and extended techniques including flutter tonguing and multi-phonics on sustained perfect fifths.

The fourth song, Old Joy (4:30), is the most sentimental and lyrical of the set, featuring a lovely melody that soars into the upper register. In a recital program, this is the point where endurance will be tested.

The final song, Yes/No, moves along briskly in 3/4 meter. Its melody alternates between articulated whole-tone derived runs and longer lyrical lines. One lip trill on b¹ appears near the end of the movement. Unlike the other songs, no numeric tempo marking is given but the movement features a fast beginning and ending, Allegro energico, with a slower middle section. I estimate the duration to be roughly 3:30.

Throughout this composition, Spillman shows great attention to detail. His experience as a pianist is apparent in the detailed markings he provides. We see in these songs the work of a mature composer capable of a broad palate of expressive gestures. These are excellent pieces which can be performed in their entirety or, if needed, in parts. They require a performer with a confident high range and a developed sense of nuance. I highly recommend these songs for older student or professional level players.