Review

Traditional German Christmas Carol
Maria durch ein Dornwald ging:

Arranged by Kevin R. Dombrowski

Trombone choir: trombone octet: 6 tenor, 3 bass trombones

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

Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 9+ trombones (choir)

This brief, traditional German Advent carol, [Mary Walked Through a Forest of Thorns], has many interesting features. Its harmonies, while tonal, are fairly advanced, reflecting current harmonic practice more than the style one might expect from the tune, which apparently dates from the middle of the 19th century. The role played by the two four-part groups varies from the standard two quartets to a mixture of groupings. The parts are not terribly demanding, possibly excepting the first part [1A] which stays fairly high, topping out on several c²s.

The overall tone of this carol is somewhat somber for Christmas. The following is from the Cherry Classics web page: the mysterious theme of the thorns is a symbol of fertility and death. The rose bush with the thorns comes to life and begins to bloom during the birth of the divine child. A fine job of arranging - kudos to Mr. Dombrowski!