Brahms Twelve Songs, Opus 44 were originally composed between 1859 and 1866 for his Women\'s Chorus in Hamburg, which he founded in 1959. These songs are some of the only a cappella works of his. Several of the songs have folk origins, however No. 10 is more serious (If You Walk Through the Churchyard). This collection is Brahms\' nod to the choral traditions of the Renaissance and early Baroque.

Mr. Sauer has produced a lovely score that is perfect for intermediate level performers, the music being in bass clef and of moderate technical difficulty and range. Each song is between 1 and 2 minutes in length.

Ciacona (original key of F minor for organ) has been beautifully arranged for trombone quartet in C minor by Mark LaFratta. It is probably Pachelbel?s second most famous work, after the Kanon in D. As is typical for a Ciacona (Chaconne), there is a short simple tune in triple meter over a repeating bass ostinato that provides a vehicle for variation, ornamentation, and melodic invention. It is somewhat similar to a passacaglia. There is a passage or two that even have hints of Bach's great Passacaglia, which didn't appear for many years in the future.



Pachelbel's Ciacona states an opening theme followed by 22 variations, the last of which is an almost exact repeat of the opening theme.



This fantastic 8-minute arrangement is appropriate for advanced performers and is scored for: alto trombone, 2 tenor trombones, and a bass trombone

Diversions is a work by Canadian composer Elizabeth Raum for Trombone quartet written in 1998 for the Aurora Trombone Quartet. Elizabeth Raum's writing is influenced by the school of the tone poem in that her music seems often to tell a story.

Diversions consists of several sections, each with its own personality. It opens with a signal call from the first trombone that is answered in turn by each of the others. This leads to the first rather contrapuntal theme combining the Baroque with the Romantic; then a bridge consisting of variations on the signal brings us to the second theme of three muted trombones playing a lively dance-like accompaniment to the open sound of the first trombone. The continuity of the dance is interrupted by occasional asides or "diversions."

Finally, all four instruments, unmuted, join together bringing the piece to a rousing finish. This work of about 6 1/2 minutes in length is appropriate for advanced performers.