Improvisations on a Bach Sarabande, Opus 44 by Neal Corwell
Instrumentation - (Two Versions):
Version 1 - for unaccompanied solo instrument: euphonium, tuba, trumpet, trombone, horn, clarinet, or sax.
• The tuba solo part is in bass clef, and a treble clef or bass clef part is provided for all other instruments. Because the soloist is performing unaccompanied, the treble clef part may be read as if in C (C trumpet, violin), B-flat (euphonium, trumpet, clarinet or sax), F (horn) or E-flat (sax).
• Please specify clef when ordering this unaccompanied version of the piece.
Version 2 - for solo euphonium, trombone or tuba with CD accompaniment.
(The euphonium/trb. version includes both bass & B-flat treble clef parts)
• Please specify solo instrument (euphonium or tuba or trombone) when ordering this CD-accompanied version of the piece.
Copyright: 2003
Duration:
6:30 for CD accompanied version,
5:45 unaccompanied version (ca. 5:00 with optional cut)
Range: concert pitch range for the euph/trb versions is DD to d-2 (with opt. ossias, this is compressed to F to b-flat-1). The Tuba solo (unaccompanied) version range is a perfect 5th lower, Pedal G to g-1 (and also has optional ossias to compress the range)
Difficulty: III-IV
Publisher: Nicolai Music
Price:
$10 for unaccompanied solo version,
$20 for version with CD accompaniment
TO PURCHASE
This haunting piece is built upon the Sarabande from J.S. Bach’s Cello Suite No. 2. The solo lines are improvisatory in feel, and grew out of Neal’s free interpretations of this movement, one of his favorites that he frequently performs by memory during practice sessions. The optional recorded accompaniment is comprised of additional spontaneous improvisations based on the Sarabande’s thematic material, as performed by Corwell with a muted euphonium. There are no electronic sources (synthesizers, samplers) used for the accompaniment, but audio effects are added to the pre-recorded euphonium (on the accompaniment CD) to create the overall dark and mysterious atmosphere.
This is a versatile work. If performed unaccompanied, it may be performed by a solo euphonium, tuba, trumpet, horn, or almost any instrument (both bass and treble clef parts are available). A mute may also be used, at the discretion of the soloist. The written solo, if performed effectively, sounds as though it is being spontaneously improvised. No passages can be classified as technically difficult, but a wide range and rapid shifts from high to low registers are called for in the unedited version, and these can be a challenge. However, optional octave ossias give the soloist the opportunity to tailor the work to his or her comfortable range.