Review

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Serenade Op. 48: for 12-part brass ensemble

Arranged by Robert Coulter

Piccolo trumpet, 2 C trumpets, b-flat trumpet, 4 horns in F, 2 tenor trombones, bass trombone, tuba

Vancouver, BC, Canada
Publisher: Cherry Classics Music
Date of Publication: 2022
URL: http://www.cherryclassics.com

Primary Genre: Brass Ensemble - 6+ brass (choir)

It is no secret that the repertoire for most brass instruments lacks historical depth, as compared to our string counterparts who developed in parallel with that same history. This is escalated for the tuba due to its traditional role as the harmonic foundation as opposed to a melodic instrument. University of Louisville alumnus Robert Coulter is one of many arrangers addressing both of these issues, with thirteen arrangements championing the tuba published by Cherry Classics alone. His arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for String Orchestra Op. 48, published in 2022, brings another work by one of history’s most notable composers into the brass sound space.

String to brass transcriptions are susceptible to many challenges. To start, key signatures that lay well on a violin or cello do not always easily translate to other instruments. While the original tonality of G to C is not difficult for brass instrumentalists, Coulter’s choice of F to B-flat is even more comfortable while simultaneously lowering the range for each instrument.

Another change of particular importance is the overall tempo of the arrangement. While Coulter likely chose slower tempos to simplify the challenging rhythmic passages, a difference of twenty-four beats per minute drastically alters the composition’s character. It seems advisable that advanced or professional ensembles performing this work should opt for tempos closer to those indicated by Tchaikovsky to achieve the light-hearted, jovial nature of the piece.

While this arrangement may be attainable by undergraduate level ensembles, it should be noted that key parts and an ensemble’s access to members able to meet the challenges within will determine this. For instance, horn players with the ability to play demanding rhythmic passages written at the bottom of the bass clef, bass and tenor trombonists who can clearly and lightly articulate 16th-note passages at the bottom of the staff, tenor trombonists who can read tenor clef, and a capable piccolo player are all required. Given these difficulties, this work seems best suited to be the feature selection of an undergraduate performance.

While certain misprints or other errata are present, they are mostly minor and easily addressable. However, it is worth mentioning that the copies provided for this review do have a notable issue with the copyright warning watermark that appears at the bottom left of each page. While necessary, it unfortunately creates legibility issues in the trumpet 1 in C, trumpet 2 in C, trumpet 3 in B-flat, horn 2 in F, horn 3 in F, and bass trombone parts, and most egregiously in the horn 4 in F and tuba parts.

A final note for consideration is the ensemble’s instrumentation. Resembling a large orchestral brass section, the trumpet section stands out for its unique, albeit curious, selections. The ensemble consists of a piccolo trumpet in B-flat (d – g2), two trumpets in C (a-flat – c3; g – g2), one trumpet in B-flat (g – a2), four horns in F (f – b-flat2; d – g-flat2; f-sharp – a2; c – d2), two tenor trombones (A – b-flat1; BB-flat – f1), one bass trombone (BB-flat – f1), and one tuba (DD – g). This decision to use both C and B-flat trumpets seems unusual.

This excellent arrangement is truly done with care and attention paid to emulate the source material as faithfully as possible, from the intentional and reserved use of the piccolo trumpet to the preemptive removal of mutes before the first Allegro con spirito to address challenges presented by brass mutes. Coulter may have chosen to arrange a challenging movement of Tchaikovsky’s Op. 48, but it is a challenge that will undoubtedly be enjoyed by performers and audiences alike.