ITEA Page

Lacrime e Fiamma (Tears and Flame)
for euphonium and piano by Joe
Miserendino. Brassworks 4, 461 Sunrise
Pkwy Farmington, N.M. 87410. (505)
860-8122; bw4@brassworks4.com ;
www.brassworks4.com .
Catalogue # BW274 $14.
Lamentation & Celebration for
euphonium and piano by Joe
Miserendino. Brassworks 4, 461 Sunrise
Pkwy Farmington, N.M. 87410. (505)
860-8122; bw4@brassworks4.com ;
www.brassworks4.com . Catalogue #
BW272. $14.
Joe Miserendino is a composer who has
been seriously writing music since 2000.
He has written for a variety of instruments,
but he has especially written for
euphonium and tuba. He lists 11 works for
euphonium just recently composed. He is
obviously in love with the sound of bass
clef instruments, and he is quickly
becoming a familiar composer for the
instrument. His latest work, The Willson
Concertante , was premiered by the City of
London Winds in late May.
These solos for euphonium and piano,
Lacrime e Fiamma (Tears and Flame) and
Lamentation & Celebration by Joe
Miserendino, are fine additions to the
euphonium repertoire. Lamentation &
Celebration is a solo that has interplay
throughout between the low register and
the high register. Whether it is the opening
line of the solo that starts in the depths of
the instrument and moves up to a shrill
repeated piano chord or the alternating of
low and high between the piano and
euphonium, the movement between high
and low is an inspiration throughout. The
range of the solo is B-flat 1 to b-flat1.
There are some sections in the solo that
may require double tonguing in multiple
ranges depending on the chosen tempo.
This solo is also very well typeset and
easy to read. It comes with a treble clef
and bass clef solo part. The approximate
solo time is four minutes.
Lacrime e Fiamma begins with a floating
melody in the upper range of the
euphonium. The chord progression is not
predictable, but it is very enjoyable. The
piano enters and there is interplay
between the two instruments, each playing
their own melody, intertwined with the
other instrument. Throughout the solo
Miserendino utilizes the full range of the
euphonium from BB to c-sharpt 2 . After a
well-developed fast section, Miserendino
returns to the floating melody used at the
opening of the solo to close the work.
Miserendino has presented a highly
crafted solo for the euphonium that is sure
to be another favorite. The piece comes
with both a treble clef and bass clef solo
part. The length of the work is
approximately six minutes. The typesetting
is very clear, and Miserendino is very lucid
in his compositional style. I would highly
recommend this work for the intermediate
to advanced soloist.
~Kelly Thomas, University of Arizona

5 Episodes for tuba and piano by
Joe Miserendino. Brassworks 4, 461
Sunrise Pkwy Farmington, N.M .87410.
(505) 860-8122; bw4@brassworks4.
com ; www.brassworks4.com .
BW313. 2006. $14.
Each of the five episodes in this solo
are less than a minute long and seem
to be intended as “movements.” After
the first episode, each starts with a
measure of rest in the new tempo and
all are titled with tempo markings:
Moderato, Allegro, Adagio, Adagio,
and Con Fuoco. The first episode is a
dialogue between the tuba and the
piano, the tuba stating and the piano
answering in similar but not slavish
imitation. The second is a march-like
exercise in sevenths and tritones. In
the first adagio the tuba has a lyrical
melody over polytonal chords. While in
the second adagio, the solo line
centers around the pitch of e-flat 1 ,
moving a whole or half step above and
below, while the piano quotes from the
second episode and continues the
polytonal chords. The final episode
uses material from the first episode
and recreates the statement/answer
but with shorter rhythmic intervals,
ending with a solo sweep by the tuba
up the A minor scale to a 1 .
This solo is not for the traditionalist.
Some audiences will have a hard time
understanding how the material is
presented (not to mention some
performers). As filler (and I do not use
the term in a derogatory way) on a
college recital program, this could
expose the listeners to some
previously unheard abilities of the
tubist. I think this would be ideal for a
college student's first F tuba recital.
The range of the solo part is BB – a1.
~Michael Short, Drake University
Travelin' for solo tuba and piano by
Joe Miserendino. Brassworks 4, 461
Sunrise Pkwy Farmington, N.M. 87410.
(505) 860-8122; bw4@brassworks4.
com ; www.brassworks4.com .
Catalogue #BW154. 5'00”. 2006. $14.
New to the field of music composition
as of 2000, Joe Miserendino has
explored writing for all the families of
instruments. His compositions range
from solos to full orchestra works. He
has been published by BVD Press,
Wehr's Music House, Solid Brass
Music and MMI Publishing along with
Brassworks 4.
Travelin' is a single movement work for
solo tuba with piano accompaniment.
The basic structure of the piece is ABA
with the opening having a somewhat
driving rhythmic motive (which returns
at the end). The middle section has a
slower contrasting feel that derives
from changes in the rhythmic structure
rather than tempo. The range of the
solo part is from AA to e-flat 1 , with
the majority of the piece lying in and
above the staff. While the piece is
accessible for either bass or
contrabass tuba, it seems to fit best
from a characteristic standpoint on F
or E-flat.
As promised by the title, the work has
a driving feel, mainly due to the almost
constant eighth note motion and the
repetitive “chunking” of the piano part.
The solo part provides occasional
rhythmic diversity (syncopations, drag
triplets). In a couple places, the
notation of the rhythms is a little
awkward, with two dotted quarters and
a quarter in a measure while the
accompaniment is distinctly playing in
common time. From a reading
standpoint I believe it would be easier
if notated quarter tied to eighth/eighth
tied to quarter and quarter, pointing
out the syncopation. Also, in a couple
places sharps and double sharps are
used in the solo part while flats are
used in the piano. I found it somewhat
difficult to wade through the passage
where one or two flats would have
avoided the need for multiple naturals
and sharps. From the harmonic
language of the accompaniment the
flats actually make better sense.

Grecian Gambol for three
euphoniums and tuba by Joe
Miserendino. Brassworks 4, 461
Sunrise Pkwy Farmington, N.M. 87410.
(505) 860-8122; bw4@brassworks4.com ;
www.brassworks4.com . Catalogue
#BW275. 5'00”. 2006. $14.
Composer Joe Miserendino professes a
lifelong love of music that he was only
recently able to turn into more than a
fancy. Starting in 2000, he has ventured
into the musical world as a composer,
exploring various instruments and musical
genres. Among his most notable works is
the Willson Concertante , which was
recently premiered by noted British
euphonium soloist Charley Brighton.
A gambol is defined as a skipping or
leaping play or dance. Upon hearing
Grecian Gambol it is easy to find the
context for the name, with the intense,
driven rhythmic qualities of the faster
sections often reminiscent of a tarantella.
The harmonic structure makes regular
use of modal harmony and scales, also
fitting in with the ethnic flavor of the title.
The work itself is divided into three main
sections: an opening dance section with
several themes, a slower lyric section,
and a return to the opening dance
motives. The ranges of the parts are
euphonium 1 from F-sharp to b 1 ,
euphonium 2 from E to a 1 , euphonium 3
from D to a 1 , and tuba from BB-flat to a-
flat.
While the piece has some wonderful
ideas and writing, I find the piece to be
fragmented and rambling at times. There
are wonderful sections of ideas, but in
many cases it seems like the ideas are
randomly pasted together, with somewhat
obtuse changes of direction. I also feel
that the tempo changes desired would be
clearer if written as accellerandos from a
starting printed tempo to a final tempo,
rather than the measure-by-measure
tempo indications. Another point I would
like to offer is that the instrumentation is
rather non-standard. The range of the
tuba is by no means a challenge as
written, so I wonder if it might serve better
to lower the overall keys of the
arrangement to facilitate use of a bass
tuba on the euphonium 3 part. This would
bring the work into a broader market. Of
course, with modern technology, the last
couple fixes would be easy to execute at
the discretion of the composer and
publisher.
As a conclusion, I feel it is only fair to say
that while I felt the piece was somewhat
lacking in cohesion, my students had a
great time playing the work. They enjoyed
the overall effect of the dance sections
and also liked the contrast of the lyricism.
From a performing standpoint, the work is
fun to do from behind the horn. I am just
not sure how the listener will react. I will
leave that for you to judge. A sound file of
the work is available on Mr. Miserendino's
website at www.joesmusicroom.
com/brassworks.html .
~Tim Olt, Bowling Green State University

Scherzo Allegro for solo
euphonium and piano by Joe
Miserendino. Brassworks 4, 461
Sunrise Pkwy Farmington, N.M. 87410.
(505) 860-8122;
bw4@brassworks4.com ;
www.brassworks4.com . Catalog No.
BW15. $14. 2005.
This is a very difficult modern
arrangement suited for a high level
accomplished player to tackle due to
the extreme ranges using both the
lower and upper reaches of our
instrument and the extreme interval
skips in a very fast-paced meter.
Rhythm is fast and tricky for both the
soloist and accompanist (quarter note
=120). This is a very technical piece
with the challenge to do it well and
sound very musical in its rendition. The
work demonstrates extreme stretches
of intervals in fast leaps and
fast-paced, complex rhythms. The
piece stays in the key of B-flat, but one
must watch for the numerous
accidentals.
This is a short piece, made even
shorter by the speed of the meter with
several repetitive sections, some with
variation within the section. The time it
will take to study the piece and perform
it well with accompanist will be at odds
with the quickness of the actual
performance. The performer should
articulate the sixteenth and eighth
notes in this piece with a light touch,
avoiding any heaviness on the quick
notes but giving preciseness as to
each of the pitches, especially during
the extreme skips of intervals. There
are only 3 repetitive instances with a
two-bar phrase using quarter notes in
a descending decrescendo where I
would recommend a legato, connected
use of the articulation in contrast with
the rest of the piece.
I think the composer includes some
very interesting uses of the line, and, if
done well, will very much demonstrate
to the listener the musical skill and
ability of the performer.
Range is BB-flat to a-flat 1 (b-flat 1 ,
optional). The piece has quite a few
low Cs and Ds, which are always a
challenge to keep in tune and in center
on the euphonium, depending on your
specific instrument model. The
euphonium performer should definitely
include in preparation for this piece
much practice in the low range by
using bass trombone literature.
~Cynthia Short, Des Moines
Municipal Band

Mein lieber Freund for
unaccompanied solo euphonium
by Joe Miserendino. Brassworks 4
Publishing, 461 Sunrise Pkwy,
Farmington, NM 87401. (505) 860
8122; bw4@brassworks4.com; www.
brassworks4.com. #BW366. 2006.
$10.
The title is sub-headed “For my dear
friend Peter Tangemann—In
memoriam.” It is also noted “Should be
played randomly and musingly—
pausing between memories.”

This is a very beautiful, short work for
unaccompanied euphonium with a very
moving, expressive melody, which
soars with wonderful moments, as you
would infer by the purpose of the piece
as a memorial to a great friend. It is an
excellent piece to include in a recital
program to show the beauty of the
instrument in true unaccompanied
sound. There are treble clef parts as
well as bass clef parts. The range for
the instrument is E to b 1.
~Cynthia Short, Euphonium soloist,
Des Moines, IA