Review

Anonymous
Præludio et variazioni super Resonet in Laudibus: a Christmas Fantasy for Brass Quartet and Organ

Arranged by Niels-Ole Bo Johansen

Trumpet in C, trumpet in B-flat, 2 trombones, organ

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

Score and parts

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 4 brass
Secondary Genre: Chamber Music

Resonet in Laudibus is a 14th century carol; it first appeared in the Moosburg (Bavaria) Gradual in 1360. This well-crafted and imaginative arrangement for two trumpets, two trombones and organ has a key signature of one flat. The melody is in the fifth mode but the arrangement is diatonic, with C major as a strong dominant. It employs a mixture of duple and triple meter characteristic of music from this period, with four short sections in common time, including the last five measures. The final semi-tonal cadence to an F major chord spread over four octaves seamlessly connects the Early Renaissance to Jazz.

The melody is introduced by the trumpets playing the first two lines in unison, then passed to trombones, which play the next two lines, again in unison. First trombone and second trumpet play the second verse. All four players are fully engaged with individual parts in the following series of variations.

First trumpet in C doubles on piccolo in B-flat, topping out at f³, ossia c³. Second trumpet in B-flat tops out at a², concert pitch. Trombone parts are given in bass clef; range for first part is d-g¹ and for second, CC-c¹. The organ part requires only a single manual and pedals. No specific registrations are indicated. Niels-Ole Bo Johansen teaches trombone and holds the position of Full Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in Aarhus, Denmark.