SKU: FT.FM423

ISBN 9790570483228.

I've always been fascinated by the depth of expression in the song cycles of Robert Schumann, and have tried, in these two pieces, to emulate that using the trombone. Why the trombone? Well, it has a rich history of being 'paired' with the voice in choral music but, if I'm really honest, as a trumpet player I've always been a little bit envious of the trombone's lyrical elegance. The music, in both of these works, has a lot of 'dialogue' between the trombone and piano, I really did think of them as communicating - only without using words.

SKU: CY.CC2718

The Chants du Rhin (Songs of the Rhine), a cycle of six pieces, based on poems by Joseph Mery, were written in 1865, and Bizet performed two of them on 16 April 1866 at a soiree of the Beaujolais Philharmonic Society. The songs are grouped symmetrically around La bohemienne as the central piece, framed by two meditatively yearning pieces (in E and D flat major) and two vividly exuberant ones (similarly in E and D flat major), with L'aurore serving as an introduction.

In this cycle Bizet takes up the theme of the gypsy girl which had already entered European music in the operas The Bohemian Girl by the Irish composer Michael William Balfe and Verdi's Il trovatore, as well as in Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsodies for piano. Bizet will return to it one year later in La jolie fille de Perth and ten years later in Carmen. The fourth piece Les confidences shows similarities in tonality, structure and motifs to the middle part of the third movement of Chopin's Sonata in B minor.

SKU: PR.114414450

ISBN 9781598064087. UPC: 680160597635. 9x12 inches.

Inspired by the tale of a legendary folk hero, Adolphus Hailstork’s tour-de-force for trombone and piano is a riveting portrayal of the steely strength and stamina of John Henry, a former slave who helped build the American railroads and ultimately outperformed a steam engine. This composition uses quotes from the spiritual Every Time I Feel the Spirit and the folk song The Ballad of John Henry. For advanced players. Duration: 13’__________________________________________Text on the scanned back cover:JOHN HENRY'S BIG(MAN vs. MACHINE)FOR TROMBONE AND PIANOInspired by the tale of the legendary hero, Adolphus Hailstork’s tour-de-force for trombone and piano is a riveting portrayal of the steely strength and stamina of John Henry, a former slave who helped build the American railroads and ultimately outperformed a steam engine.
PROGRAM NOTES by the ComposerJohn Henry was born a slave in the 1840’s or 1850’s. It is important to remember that no one knows for sure if John Henry existed or is a tall tale created by writers. That is one of the things that makes the legend so intriguing.According to the legend, he grew to stand 6 feet tall, 200 pounds – a giant in that day.Though the story of John Henry sounds like the quintessential tall tale, it is certainly based, at least in part, on historical circumstance. There are disputes as to where the legend originates. Some place John Henry in West Virginia, while recent research suggests Alabama. Still, all share a similar back-story.In order to construct the railroads, companies hired thousands of men to smooth out terrain and cut through obstacles that stood in the way of the proposed tracks. One such chore that figures heavily into some of the earliest John Henry ballads is the blasting of the Big Bend Tunnel, more than a mile straight through a mountain in West Virginia.Steel-drivin’ men like John Henry used large hammers and stakes to pound holes into the rock, which were were then filled with explosives that would blast a cavity deeper and deeper into the mountain. In the folk ballads, the central event took place under such conditions. Eager to reduce costs and speed up progress, some tunnel engineers were using steam drills to power their way into the rock. According to the great American tall tales, on hearing of the machine, John Henry challenged the steam drill to a contest. He won, but died of exhaustion, his life cut short by his own superhuman effort.This composition uses quotes from the spiritual Every Time I Feel the Spirit and the folk song The Ballad of John Henry.JOHN HENRY’S BIG was composed for trombonist David Jackson.

SKU: CY.CC2938

ISBN 9790530057575.

Originally written for Cello, Ralph Sauer's brilliant arrangement of the Pergolesi Sinfonia (Sonata) for Trombone and Piano (or Harpsichord) has become a standard work in the solo repertoire. This new edition which replaces the previous one comes with some notable changes. Below is Mr. Sauer's description.
This new edition of the Pergolesi Sinfonia in F is an update of the original version which was first published 40 years ago (!) and is now permanently out of print. Movements one, two, and three are essentially the same. I have corrected a few errors in the keyboard part and also revised some of the notation—notably, grace notes are now placed correctly. (The original publisher insisted that they should be placed after barlines, causing confusion as to whether they were to be played on the beat or before the beat.)
In the last movement, there are now two places where the keyboard takes over the solo line. In addition to providing much needed rest for the trombonist, it gives a change of color and a chance for the keyboard player to be the soloist for a few measures.
The original version of the last movement is also included as an appendix for those who would rather perform the original.
Ralph Sauer
Los Angeles, 2017

SKU: SU.32040180

Golden for Trombone and Piano is a virtuoso piece for the trombone with a wide range of expression, from Trouble and Worry (Mvt. I), to the wonder of Golden Lilies & Birds thru Hope and Peace (Mvt. II), to, despite life’s trials, Dancing with Joy (Mvt. III). Special and unique sounds include the trombone and piano echoing bird songs and the trombone playing ethereal tones into the open piano strings, they say it is breathtaking. Mvt. I Trouble & Worry Mvt. II Golden Lilies & Birds Mvt. III May I have This Dance? Difficulty Level: 5 (Advanced/Professional) See composer website for audio recording. Trombone & Piano Duration: 16'30 Composed: 2020 Published by: Amy Riebs Mills Music, LLC.

SKU: CY.CC2543

Granados was a Spanish composer whose music had the unique style of his homeland burned into his soul. He was also a very talented painter in the style of Goya.

The Two Dances, 1. Oriental and 2. Fandango are taken from the 12 danzas espanolas, volume I from 1890, for Piano.

Mr. Sauer has brilliantly taken the solo Piano part and divided it between solo Trombone and Piano.

Trombonists will enjoy working on this style of Spanish Nationalist music of which there is none in the solo repertoire.

The Two Dances (in tenor clef) are about 6 1/2 minutes in length and can be performed by advanced musicians.

The mp3 sample is an excerpt of the Bass Trombone version taken from a live performance at the 2012 Academy of the West Festival performed by David Hagee and Luis Ortiz, Pianist.

SKU: CY.CC2863

Liszt composed the Romance oubliee around 1844 for Piano. It was forgotten until he heard Violist Hermann Ritter at the first performance of Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen at Bayreuth. He fashioned for Ritter a transcription of the work for Viola and Piano as well as ones for the Piano, Violin and Violoncello.
In this short work, the listener hears the agonies of a troubled soul, beginning with a rhapsodic passage, continuing with a cadenza-like section, then a section with arpeggiated figures, finally settling into a peaceful ending.
This 4 minute work is appropriate for advanced performers. With Mr. Sauer's arrangement we now have this lovely version for Trombone and Piano.

SKU: CY.CC2716

Villa-Lobos' Pequena Suite is an early work written in 1913 originally composed for Cello and has been arranged for Trombone and Piano by Ralph Sauer. The Suite of six movements are titled:
1. Romancette
2. Legendaria<
3. Harmonias soltas
4. Fugato (all'antica)
5. Melodia
6. Gavotte-Scherzo

The movements alternate slow-fast-slow-fast, etc., the slow movements are serious and contemplative and the fast ones are playful and bouncy.

The complete work is about 13 minutes in length and suitable for advanced performers.

SKU: CY.CC2566

Bartok's Allegro Barbaro, composed in 1911 is one of his most famous solo piano works, written in his typical style using folk elements based on Hungarian Pentatonic and Romanian chromatic scales. The music has even been used on a composition by the Progressive rock group Emerson, Lake and Palmer from their 1970 debut album.

Ralph Sauer's brilliant arrangement for Trombone and Piano is reminiscent of the famous Trombone passage from the Miraculous Mandarin ballet suite.

This 3 minute work is suitable for advanced performers.

The sound clip is performed by Mr. Sauer with Mac Booke on piano.