Review

Maurice Ravel
Pavane pour une infante défunte: for 7-part trombone ensemble

Arranged by Randall Malmstrom

7-part trombone ensemble Trombone septet Trombone choir 5 tenor, 2 bass trombones

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

Score and parts.

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 7 trombones

Mr. Malmstrom has done an excellent job in this transcription, keeping the sound and textures of the original intact while making the music interesting and challenging to play. He has even retained the original tonality. An interesting example of Malmstrom’s care for textures is evident right at the beginning of the arrangement: in the piano original, the melody is given in the right hand, legato, while the harmonic accompaniment, also in the right hand, is marked staccato. This textural “mixing” is present in Ravel’s later orchestration, with the winds marked legato and the strings marked pizzicato under the horn solo. This mixture of textures is preserved in Malstrom’s arrangement, where the solo part is legato, harmonizing voices are principally sustained long notes, and the third and fifth trombones are playing oscillating thirds in staccato eighth notes. Later, towards the end of the piece, all of the harmony is marked legato, again reflecting Ravel’s markings in the original and in the orchestral version. 

While the technical demands of the arrangement are not great, much care is needed to maintain a consistent sound and appropriate movement, especially in the first trombone part, which lies quite high in range. Great job, Mr. Malmstrom!