Review

Franz Strauss
Nocturno Op.7:

Arranged by Benjamin Coy

Solo trombone and wind ensemble

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

Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with band

Though the repertoire for solo trombone is excellent, varied, and ever-expanding, there are still occasions where borrowing a piece of music from another instrument can produce a pleasing musical experience for player and listener alike. Music originally for horn is a frequent target of such borrowing, as are pieces by any member of the Strauss family. Dr. Benjamin Coy, from South Texas College, has taken Franz Strauss’ Nocturno Op.7 and set it for solo trombone and wind ensemble.

Coy preserves the original key of D-flat major. The accompaniment of Strauss’ original piano part is largely retained in the wind ensemble accompaniment with sensible additions created to fill out the voicing and rhythms at times. The highly arpeggiated figures of the piano accompaniment are generally broken up in ways that avoid burdening any one player with long stretches of sixteenth notes. The more interesting figures in the accompaniment are spread around among various solo instruments, providing contrast and variety beyond Strauss’ original setting. The accompaniment should be playable by a variety of ensembles without being overly taxing.

The solo part, however, will require a more advanced player of lyric sensitivity and ability with extended range. As an example, the piece’s tonic, D-flat, appears in four different octaves, though the piece generally resides above the staff. As can be expected in a Romantic-era piece, there are moments of both calm and extreme passion, with articulations, dynamics, and ranges to match. While there are no overly technical passages, some of the written turns will take time to master with fluidity. However, the beauty of the melody makes the piece worth the challenges it poses.

As I have found to be typical of Cherry Classics publications, the score and parts are neatly laid out and easy to read, with the exception of a superfluous bass clef marking before the last note in the solo part. Though there are already a number of great pieces for trombone and wind ensemble, Dr. Coy has created a nice arrangement of a beautiful piece that serves as a change of pace and good addition to the repertoire.