Review

Jonathan Figueroa
Remembranzas for solo trombone:
Trombone

No place, , Mexico
Publisher: Jonathan Figueroa@jonfig
Date of Publication: 2020

Score.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - unaccompanied

Mexican composer/pianist, Jonathan Figueroa, holds degrees from the University of Vercruzana in Mexico and California State University, Long Beach. His music has been premiered in Mexico, the United States, Colombia and Costa Rica. He was a prizewinner in the Fifth International Composition Contest Nuestra America. He has collaborated with numerous artists and ensembles from throughout Mexico, the US and Latin America. The composer stated the following:

Remembranzas is an introspective work that revolves around memories and the pain that accompanies loss. The work includes passages that require great melodic expressiveness as well as a fair amount of power to reach high energy passages. In addition, the piece makes use of multiphonics as an expressive timbral resource. It was commissioned and premiered by Alex Lopez Velarde, one of the leading young trombonists from Mexico.

Its melodic, rhythmic and tonal language are quite traditional. Technical demands are within the grasp of an excellent undergraduate level student. The use of multiphonics is minimal and covers basic intervals. The musical demands however require a higher understanding, as this work explores the ability of the instrument to deliver that most prized aspect of music, the expression of emotion. Although some modicum of virtuosity is necessary, it is in the service of the musical message. In the hands of a fine musician, this work has the ability to move the listener on an emotional level. Printing and layout are both first class. A midi recording is available here: https://www.facebook.com/jonathanfigueroamusic/

The composer has written other works that include trombone: Cuarteto de Trombones de la Filarmónica 5 de Mayo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6sZXRz4Q-k&list=PL06WmVEpiVhJhIZWKD8_aUnwU4Nr28-fM&index=3 and 1987, for piano, violin, and trombone  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhaThytDXjE.