Pärt/Bach: Fratres

I've come across a number of renditions of Pärt's popular piece entitled Fratres which opens this disc. The piece typically is considered a violin piece; Pärt himself however has arranged it a number of times. This arrangement, however, is rather daring, replacing the solo violin part with trombone.

I never held a flame to Jörgen van Rijen as a trombonist, but I can certainly appreciate his technical acumen and pure tone. It took several listens to the first track's music to get over the technical hurdle that he coyly ignores through his performance. I almost have to think it's something other than a trombone, the sheer pain it would have brought me to render those notes so cleanly! Fratres for trombone is a testament to van Rijen's abilities as a trombonist!

The take on the album is to pair works by Pärt with Bach arrangements for keyboard concertos by the likes of the Marcello brothers and Vivaldi. The album ends with another keyboard piece: here, arranged to feature clarinet and trombone instead of organ.

Having been quite familiar with the pieces on this album, hearing them in new clothes was refreshing. The baroque pieces take on a historical guise in the hands of van Rijen and members of the Camerata RCO.

The recording is somewhat dry, which I like; it's also close and very transparent. The string chamber ensemble sounds closer than the trombone, which for me, works. The musicians all around are well-captured and do an admirable job, those in support of van Rijen.

This was my first audition of an album by this celebrated trombonist. I found both the material and performances rewarding. Even if you don't consider yourself a trombone fan, he's gotta be heard, and sounds confident. An admirable contribution to the trombone literature.