Customer Reviews

Ralph Sauer, Trombone, plays Handel, Telemann, Haydn, etc.

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

While I have to agree on the previous reviewer's comments in that the Serocki and Sulek were not exactly 'dynamically extroverted', I think it's unfair to dismiss the entire album as unimpressive. Sauer's renditions of the Handel, Telemanns, Haydn and Larsson are, in my humble opinion, A-Grade.

Besides the fact that most of these pieces in question (excluding Larsson) aren't 'virtuosic display vehicles' (they're still pretty hard, though), I think that Sauer's playing here is 'true to the music'. If anything, they are very good 'middle of the road' interpretations that I would recommend to a student who may be learning one of these pieces. Lindberg can sometimes go a bit overboard on some pieces like those represnted here, and give an unorthodox interpretation that could send a student down the wrong road. Sauer's career as primarily an orchestral trombonist has probably put him into the habit of 'playing the ink', while guys like Lindberg can get away with being a bit 'creative' at times. In terms of being virtuosic, I think to be able to play a solid valve-register D on a straight tenor and then go all the way to articulate a High F-Sharp (I mean high,high F#) is still impressive. His execution of trills, mordents, and other ornaments is also well done.

There aren't that many Trombone Recordings around the place, so I don't think we can be too picky. Nevertheless, this is still an excellent recording. Buy it and decide for yourself.

Mr. Sauer does indeed play like an orchestral musician. Some may think that means a dry interpretation. It's true, there's not a lot of 'cheese' in this music. However, Sauer's sound is always clear and warm and his articulations all match. This album is a perfect example of consistant playing. He eliminates the unnecessary and lets the music shine through. Only on close inspection will the listener realize they're being treated to almost perfect playing. Every note is a gem.

Ralph Sauer recently retired from the LA Philharmonic after more than thirty years as principal trombonist. This CD of Baroque and Classical transcriptions plus several more recent original compositions for trombone provides a surprising amount of musical enjoyment. I say surprising because the trombone is not primarily thought of as a solo instrument, but in the hands of such a skilled performer at the height of his powers (these performances date from the late 70s-early 80s) it certainly convinces as such. The Baroque pieces are cleanly performed with impeccable intonation and clarity, while the Haydn Concerto movement incorporates a cadenza which ascends to the high F-sharp (high even for a French horn) with no sign of strain or unsteadiness. The Serocki and Larsson are rather lightweight examples of neo-classicism spiced up with hints of jazz, while the one-movement Sulek Sonata provides a counterbalance with its somewhat overblown late Romantic gloom. Zita Carno provides exemplary accompaniments, and the sound quality has held up well save for the Larsson, which appears to have been originally recorded in a fuzzier acoustic.

I am a fairly experienced trombonist, and I purchased the cd looking for a recording of the Serocki, which I was performing at the time. I found Sauer's interpretation to be robotic, and I felt as if he didn't find dynamics to be important aspects of music at all. In my opinion, he is being a technician and not a musician on this cd. His playing is entirely unimpressive, and not worth listening to at all. I recommend purchasing a Joe Alessi or Christian Lindberg cd, myself.