Review

Maurice Ravel
Le Tombeau de Couperin:

Arranged by Ralph Sauer

Tenor 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

Most will be familiar with this masterwork by Ravel. The arranger has selected four movements from the original six movement piano work and created a version for piano and trombone solo. He has kept the original keys and gives the primary melodic material in the piano score to the trombone, filling in the remaining accompaniment in the piano part. This makes the trombone solo quite difficult particularly in the first and fourth movements, where the trombone covers the difficult woodwind solos from the orchestra version. This demands great flexibility, stamina, and technique in the high register in these movements. Range is C-sharp-d2. The two inner movements, Forlane and Minuet, are much simpler and can be performed by most advanced players. The music itself is wonderful and the time and effort in learning the suite will be rewarding. Individual movements can be performed separately.