Audio Review: Improbabile by Ricardo Pereira
Improbabile (2020)
Branditmusic
Ricardo Pereira, Trombone
Erica Versace, Harp
We don’t often think of the harp and trombone as an aesthetically pleasing combination of musical performance. I first heard of this pairing when Nitzan Haroz, Principal Trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra, performed a recital with his mother, a harpist, at the 2004 International Trombone Festival. Even though my father and I attended another event occurring at the same timeslot, my mother attended their performance and still remembers its impact to this day. Gradually, these two instruments are becoming increasingly popular in performances and recordings, such as the JOLO Duo’s recent album, Bounds of Spring.
On the album Improbabile, Ricardo Pereira and Erica Versace present a delightful recording that wonderfully pairs the two instruments. Over 20 tracks are included on this album of arranged and original music. Starting with Anton Arensky’s 4 Morceaux, originally for cello and piano, Pereira has arranged this work to properly fit the character of each movement. With other arrangements of works by Claude Debussy, Antonio Fragoso, and Antonio Lauro, Pereira is able to showcase his compositional chops as all but one work on the album is either arranged or composed by the trombonist.
Pereira’s composition “Improbabile,” stands out the most as one of two original works on the album. This 4-movement work combines the sounds and styles from the two nationalities represented by Pereira and Versace. Each movement highlights a different characteristic that can be seen or expressed from the landscapes and cultures of both the Iberian and Italians peninsulas. Finishing out the album is a work by saxophonist and composer Daniel Schnyder. As a familiar composer to the brass world, Schnyder’s work “My Garden” portrays the composer’s recognizable writing style with this unlikely match of instruments.
Throughout the album, each performer beautifully complements the other’s playing. While Pereira often soars to incredible heights throughout the trombone’s register, Versace is able to add the precise amount of harmonics to create a soothing response to the listener. Improbabile confirms that the trombone and harp are a probable pairing of musical instruments that go together like a fine wine with aged cheese.
Favorite Track – “Entre um Tango e uma Valsa”
Track List:
- Anton Arensky (arranged by Ricardo Pereira) – 4 Morceaux, op.56
- Orientale
- Romance
- Chanson Triste
- Humoresque
- Claude Debussy (arranged by Ricardo Pereira) – Deux Romances
- L’âme évaporée
- Les cloches
- Antonio Fragoso (arranged by Ricardo Pereira) – 7 Prelúdios
- Muito Vivo
- Muito Lento
- Allegretto com graça
- Allegretto molto
- Calmo
- Andantino
- Vivo
- Antonio Lauro (arranged by Ricardo Pereira) – 4 Valses Venezolanos
- Tatiana
- Andreína
- Natalia
- Yacambú
- Ricardo Pereira – Improbabile
- L’alba
- Lontano
- Entre um Tango e uma Valsa
- Tarantella
- Daniel Schnyder – My Garden
Click here to purchase the album.
