Review

Felix Mendelssohn
Song Without Words Volume Two:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer

Tuba or bass trombone and piano

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

Score and solo part

Primary Genre: Solo Bass/Contrabass Trombone - with piano

This is the second book of transcriptions of the famous piano music of Felix Mendelssohn by Mr. Sauer for tuba or bass trombone. The melody has been put into the solo part with the remainder in the piano part.

There are six songs in this volume. The first, Op.67, No.1, Andante in B-flat major, is smooth and flowing, with arpeggiated sixteenths in the piano. The next, Op.30, No.6, is subtitled Venetianisches Gondellied [Venetian Gondola Song] and is in 6/8 meter, Allegretto tranquillo in B-flat minor. The solo part is a mixture of dotted quarters and scalar eighth notes, while the piano has arpeggios in eighth notes. There are trills in the solo part, indicated as only for tuba. Third in the set is Op.67, No.2, in 6/8, C minor, Allegro leggiero; this slower movement contains dotted quarters in the solo part and staccato eighth note arpeggios in the piano. The fourth song is Op.62, No.1, Andante espressivo, C major. The solo voice features a gentle melody with oscillating sixteenths in the piano. Song number five, Op.67, No.3, is in 4/8 meter, Andante tranquillo, C major. This song has a distinct rhythmic character, playing off the eighth notes in the solo part with off-beat eighths a sixteenth later in the piano. The last song, Op.62, No.2, 12/8, C major, Allegro con fuoco, is rhythmic and quite energetic. The solo voice plays scale patterns in a quarter-eighth pattern, while the piano plays similar patterns in the right hand harmony and repeated eighths in the left.

This arrangement offers much melodic and stylistic variety. Players can develop melodic focus and ensemble coordination with these pieces; great music is always worth our best effort. This is another in the huge series of excellent transcriptions by Ralph Sauer!