Fantasy and Double Fugue for Trombone Choir - Eric Ewazen

This post is about a contemporary piece: Fantasy and Double Fugue for trombone choir by Eric Ewazen. 
Eric Ewazen

Fantasy and Double Fugue was composed for an octet of six tenor trombones and two bass trombones in one single choir. It was premiered twenty years ago at the 1998 ITF in Boulder, Colorado by the Juilliard Trombone Ensemble, Joseph Alessi, conductor. It was also specifically composed for that group - the score actually lists the title/dedication as Fantasy and Double Fugue (for the Julliard Trombone Choir). It utilizes tenor clef for the highest two parts but the remaining six parts are written in bass clef. It is approximately 4:45 long. Warwick Music states that  "it is very much a 'crowd pleaser'".

Eric Ewazen (b. 1954) is well-known as a composer for wind band as well as brass solos and brass ensembles. Ewazen holds a B.M. from the Eastman School of Music and M.M. and D.M.A. degrees from the Julliard School. According to his list of works on his website, Ewazen has composed 16 works for solo brass with piano accompaniment, 27 works for brass chamber ensembles and 9 concerti for brass (with either orchestra or wind ensemble accompaniment). He also has written works for other mediums such as woodwinds, percussion, strings, voice and piano.

I had the honor of conducting Fantasy and Double Fugue once. That recording can be heard here.

Comments

  1. UnknownApril 22, 2018 at 8:07 PM

    Oh Ewazen. We brass players are so drawn to your name because so much music is associated with it... This piece reminds me about so many characteristics of Ewazen's writing style. Driving rhythm and lack of melody seems to be the theme here. It's not until about two minutes in when I feel like a memorable melody is presented, but it's immediately stripped into solo lines that seem more jazz like and are hard to follow. It may the performance, but the piece seems to feel a bit stale.

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