Asturias or Leyenda (Legend) named by the composer is a 6-minute work originally written in 1892 for the Piano as part of a three-movement suite entitled Chants d'Espagne. The work is actually best known in its very popular guitar rendition.

The music is in the Andalusian flamenco style A-B-A with a malague�a as the B section.

Karl Hinterbichler has worked some technical magic with his new arrangement for Trombone Quartet. Advanced performers will have a great time working out this mesmerizing piece of music.

Jordon Drumgoole has arranged four lesser-known gems by master Ragtime composer, Scott Joplin. Ragtime Suite for Trombone Quartet includes the following four rags:

1. Original Rags, 2. Euphonic Sounds, 3. Pineapple Rag and 4. March Majestic

These rags are arranged in very comfortable keys and have easy ranges for all parts; plus, they can be performed by moderately advanced performers. The entire Suite with all repeats contains 14 minutes of delightful music that will get everyone's feet tapping!

The Bordogni vocalises have been used by generations of low brass performers to learn legato technique, phrasing, endurance, bel canto style, expression, and breath control. They sound beautiful and are fun to play!

Ran Whitley has beautifully arranged another ten of the Melodious Etudes, numbers 41-50 for Trombone Quartet. All in bass clef, these are appropriate for intermediate to advanced performers. The entire melody line is in part 1 with parts 2, 3, and 4 accompanying.

Jeff Reynolds has done a gorgeous job arranging Three Early Sacred Pieces for 4-part Trombone Ensemble:

I. The Passion Chorale, O Sacred Head Now Wounded - Hassler/Graun

II. Cum esset desponsata - Isaac

III. Tu solus qui facis mirabilis - Des Prez

The Passion Chorale is performed during Holy Week. Cum esset is performed during the Christmas season and Tu solus is a Sacred Motet from 1503.

The top part is available in tenor and alto clef parts and all parts are of moderate difficulty in this 7-minute work.

James Pierpont's popular Christmas song Jingle Bells has been arranged for Trombone Quartet by Jeff Reynolds in a swing style with a special reference to the famous march American Patrol.

This fun arrangement of about 2 minutes in length is fun to perform and listen to. All in bass clef for moderately advanced performers.

Jim Hopson has arranged a 16th Century Christmas Carol Medley for Trombone Quartet. The three carols are:

Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella - Lo' How a Rose E'er Blooming - Coventry Carol

There are touches of jazz chording and rhythmic stylings throughout, adding a bit of mystery to the 16th Century flavors.

The medley is about 2 1/2 minutes in length and appropriate for advanced performers.

Beethoven's great chamber music is second to none, however, there are very few instances where the Trombone as an instrument can fit into the style of the music. With the Scherzo from String Quartet, Op. 18, No. 4, arranger Kevin Dombrowski has found the perfect fit. A quartet of trombonists at the advanced level will love performing this wonderful five minutes of music.

The Clef Studies by Vladislav Blazhevich, composed in 1925 are a staple of the Trombone repertoire. Their quality is superb, not only for teaching the clefs, but solid technique and musical style as well.

Karl Lyden has brilliantly arranged Three Studies for Trombone Quartet inspired by the Blazhevich Clef Studies for Trombone based on numbers 56, 54 and 65 (subtitled Five Etude having a funk feel to it). They are very musically interesting, rhythmically challenging and fun to perform.

Here is a description of the Three Studies by arranger Karl Lynden:

"The seed for the Blazhevich Three Studies for Trombone Quartet came from my desire to write for my trombone quartet during undergraduate studies at Nebraska-Lincoln. I was tinkering with study No. 64 from Blazhevich?s Clef Studies for Trombone book and began to imagine pulsating trombone chords and ostinatos. The original was in 5/8 so I dubbed that arrangement ?Five Etude?.

Several years later, I had similar experiences with two other works from the book (No. 54 and 56). For the latter No. 56, I originally imagined it as a mournful duo between trombone and cello. I then flushed out the implied harmony to allow for four trombones.

No. 54 is more harmonically dense with an active bass line. It should be played majestically but come to rest in a subsided manner.For all three studies, I deviate slightly from the written form. However, the melody always remains constant as a means of generating new textures, harmonies, and rhythms. My hope is that trombonists in quartets will experience these familiar etudes in a new light."

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.

Ryan Diefenderfer's clever arrangement of the Traditional Christmas carol God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen for Trombone Quartet begins as a Bass Trombone feature ballad with accompanying jazz chords. Then it ramps up to a jazz waltz giving all parts a good workout.

This almost 4-minute work is appropriate for advanced performers.

The digital sound track is a rough guide to who this arrangement sounds  

These TWO SUITES were composed in response to a request form Heini Schneebeli, the musical director of ?TROMBONANZA 2017?. Santa Fe in Argentina is the backdrop for this exciting annual event involving many hundreds of student and professional players.

The FIRST SUITE has three movements and is intended for a trio of younger tenor trombonists working with a teacher on bass trombone who will add richness and depth to the ensemble sound.

It is my hope that this piece will encourage, entertain and challenge student players and provide useful concert material for use in the promotion of this unique and versatile instrument.

John Frith - 2017

This work is appropriate for younger performers at an intermediate level all in bass clef. The three movements total about 5 1/2 minutes in length and have the following titles:

1. Totem Tango

2. Full Steam Ahead

3. Clowning Around

Bach?s great Chaconne from the Partita in d minor BWV 1004 for Violin was arranged for piano left-hand by Brahms and now has been arranged yet again for Trombone Quartet by Phil Brink. This 8-minute work is appropriate for advanced performers and will make a great addition to any recital.