Review

Kessner Daniel
Chant I: with Drones, Drums and Bells
Trombone and pre-recorded sounds

No place, , United States
Publisher: Daniel Kessner
Date of Publication: 2020

Score with .mp3 audio accompaniment file.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with media

Dr. Kessner is Professor Emeritus at California State University-Northridge where he taught from 1970 through 2006. In addition to being a composer, he is a flutist and conductor. While the review score did not list a publisher, Dr. Kessner’s website indicates that most of his scores are now available through Universal Editions. As of May, 2022 their website does not include this piece; that may change with time.

Chant I is a good first piece for performers wishing to perform with recorded media. The range, which generally ascends as the piece gathers intensity, goes up to b¹ and down to pedal GG-sharp for the final note. That said, its endurance demands with respect to range are not overwhelming. 

The rhythms of the recording are clearly heard and, since the performer reads from the score, lining up the solo part is not too difficult. I would strongly suggest either headphones or a stage monitor to help with this rhythmic alignment. Measure numbers are clearly marked at the beginning of the lines and time codes appear at important moments. This is particularly helpful; when preparing a piece like this, often my first step is to write in time codes to help with practice. There are moments where rhythms in the recording make it a bit harder to discern the pulse and there are spots where the performer plays different subdivisions than the recording. None of these should pose significant difficulty with practice.

The piece begins and ends peacefully with greater intensity in the middle. Sustained notes at the beginning combine with gong sounds to set a meditative mood with percussive interjections. Good breath control is helpful here. The opening gives way to more rhythmic music with nice interplay between soloist and recording. A section marked “boldly” features more of a fanfare style from the soloist with frequent changes of beat subdivision. Energy dissipates and the opening section is recapitulated. Personally, I think the piece might have benefitted from a stronger dramatic climax.

The only extended techniques are glissandi and “glissandi complexes” [composer’s term], which are lip slur patterns to be executed while slowly and continuously moving the slide. The audio track seems well-made and the music printing is easy to read. Chant I is definitely worth a look, especially for a performer wanting to explore this kind of music without becoming overwhelmed.