Review

Maurice Ravel
Pavane pour une infante défunte:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer

Trombone and piano

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2021
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Score and solo part.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) composed his famous Pavane for a Dead Princess in 1899 while he was studying with Gabriel Fauré at the Paris Conservatory. In 1910, Ravel released an orchestration as well. Ralph Sauer’s arrangement retains the same key as the original, G major. The performer should have a confident high range as this arrangement includes several d²’s and generally sits in the instrument’s upper register with a slow tempo.

Ravel’s hauntingly beautiful melody gives the trombone a chance to display a lovely singing style and Sauer wisely arranges this music with a light touch, staying faithful to the original. The piano part should not pose any serious challenges as long as the trained pianist. The richness of the chords may trip up a less experienced pianist. As is often the case with Cherry Classics publications, the print quality is good; I reviewed a pdf file as opposed to a physical copy.

This is a solid contribution that will take its place alongside three other known arrangements of this piece, one by Rubank which has been simplified for younger players. Another existing arrangement, published by Edition Musicus, opts more frequently for the lower octave. Henry Charles Smith recorded this music (not this specific arrangement) on his album Remastered Recordings.