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Comments from Teachers "David, you have made a monumental contribution to trombone instruction, now and for the future." - Richard W. Bowles, Gainesville, FL
"David, Thank You! My students and I love it. In my studio Bordogni/Rochut will be phased out and replaced with Bordogni/Schwartz. Thanks for providing this valuable service to the trombone community." - Nathaniel O. Brickens, University of Texas at Austin
"David, I have my students working out of book one of your set and they are enjoying it immensely. Now that they have the CD versions you have done, they don't know how they ever played them without --- I had one girl yesterday who sang the piano intro before she began playing --- pretty darned neat!" - Peter Ellefson, Indiana University
"David, Congratulations on your Bordogni editions. The Bordogni-Rochut vocalises have served as the musical basis for most trombonists' legato and "singing" standards. How wonderful it is to have them available in new editions which include CD piano accompaniments. Trombonists have the opportunity to develop and refine their harmonic understanding in the practice room." - Tom Everett, Harvard University, Founder ITA
"David, You'll be happy to know that I have officially stopped using Rochut. All my students are now directed to use your editions. The accompaniments make such a difference in their practice and I appreciate the scholarly information and advice." - Mike Hall, Old Dominion University
"David, Good for you! Your series of Bordogni etudes with accompaniment CD are a great addition to my active teaching and practicing materials. I use them to promote good intonation, rhythm, musicality, memorization and ensemble techniques. The simplicity of the accompaniments provides structure but places the musical responsibility upon the trombonist. Buzzing along with the CD in the car is a fun and easy, no-hands approach that not only serves as a good warm-up, but improves clarity of pitch and flexibility with pleasant melodies rather than rigid exercise." - Scott Hartman, Yale University
"GRRREEEEAAAATTTTT!!!" - Henry Howey, Sam Houston State University
"David, Fantastic! I am totally enjoying your Volume Four. It is a blast to play along with. Previously I spent the most time playing the first fifteen or so Bordogni etudes; in different clefs, keys and on all my horns. (I made a practice of occasionally playing three Bordogni's in a row, forming a mini-sonata. One as written, one 8vb [or Tenor clef 8vb] and one in tenor clef [adding one sharp to the key]. I also like to use the vocalises for sight-singing practice--the single BEST musical exercise for students learning how to play at pitch and to make phrases.) But with these "later" etudes with the accompaniment, I find that I find myself playing them a lot more than I used to. BRAVO!!!!" - Ales Iles, California Institute for the Arts,
"David, I have found the previous volumes to be of great use. I have used volume one in masterclasses and lessons as well as in my own practicing. They are a wonderful aid in emphasizing pitch and rhythm while singing through the trombone." - David Lee Jackson, University of Michigan
"Dear David, Thank you so much for your wonderful books. I think the books/CDs are terrific - addictive actually. Once I start with them, I can't stop. Playing Bordogni just got a lot more fun - and a lot more productive. I fully intend to use them in my teaching curriculum and have had immediate excellent results testing them out with students. I think your comments and practice suggestions are all excellent. The mechanical nature of the synthesized accompaniment is not a problem with me - it works exactly as you said: as a combined tuner and metronome. As a practice tool, it is invaluable - or as they say in the commercials - "priceless!"" - Art Jennings, University of Florida
"I use these materials every day in my own practice, and encourage my students to do the same. It's great to feel re-energized by this new edition and CD accompaniment. Thank you for making these beautiful vocalises even more meaningful." - Mark Kellogg, Principal Trombone, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
"Bravo - Well done - Nice work, David!" - John Kitzman, Principal Trombone, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
"I think you have done a great job getting these together. I have used them already in some master classes and they are great. Ralph Sauer also gave me an extra copy of the duets...those are also fine to use with another but also as solo voice. Thanks for putting all of these together. These are a must for the serious student!" - John Marcellus, Eastman School of Music
"The pleasure of playing the Bordogni etudes with accompaniment notwithstanding (a most musical metronome), it is the beautiful editions themselves which are the real value. I enjoy the prefaces, addenda, and the editorial suggestions. The tempo suggestions from many sources (all offered with deferential respect to both Bordogni and Rochut), the phrasing marks, and the various transpositions reveal careful scholarship which I find to be most inspiring. As someone who has been playing these etudes for many years, it is a boost to my daily practice to look at the Bordogni/Rochut/Schwartz studies in this new light." - Matthew McGarrell, Brown University
"I have Schwartz's books and CDs of the Bordogni etudes. He references and explains the differences between the original vocalises and Rochut's transcription, and includes some of both (such as when they were transposed or in a very different tempo). The CDs are fun to play with and very good for rhythm and intonation. I frequently use them with students and heartily recommend them. Two of my college students have been using the Bordogni duets and CD accompaniment for their performance class. The teacher and the students in that class have been impressed and I can see the improvement and musical motivation that has resulted from the study of those duets. I also enjoy playing with the CDs in my own practice and I have a new appreciation of Bordogni's music." - James Prindle, Free-lance Bass Trombonist and private instructor, San Diego, California
"What an unbelieveable addition to our literature for study and enjoyment in general. I just can not say enough good about what you did for the next generation of trombonists, Dave." - SGM Scott Shelsta, Chairman Eastern Trombone Workshop, U.S. Army, Washington, DC
"Excellent!" - Steve Shires, Free-lance trombonist and trombone designer-manufacturer, Hopedale, Massachusetts
"David, I use your books every day as a part of my warm-up routine, especialy for its use in intonation. I have taken several orchestral auditions in which no one was selected upon conclusion of the final rounds. It is not unknown in the least that the number one reason for dismissal during an audition is for poor intonation. Mike Roylance first introduced me to your books during this past summer out at Tanglewood. Since that time I have advanced to the finals in every audition I've taken including a principal position I recently won with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. With improved intonation I can take a greater confidence in my performance and audition playing." - Bron Wright, Colorado Springs Philharmonic and Charleston Symphony, Charleston, S.C.
"Fascination with the Vocalises of Marco Bordogni extends beyond Rochut's transcription for trombone. Trombonist David Schwartz has embarked on a new project of transcribing all of Bordogni's Vocalises for trombone and providing a CD with their original piano (MIDI realization) accompaniment. So far David has three volumes of the Vocalises prepared as well as a fascinating book which are 12 duets Bordogni wrote for two voices with piano. David's books are useful and interesting - he gives some practical advice for using the Vocalises as a good learning tool, provides many alternative accompaniment tracks at different tempi than Bordogni originally called for, has a chart comparing Bordogni's tempi to those Rochut and other players use. Playing the Vocalises with piano accompaniment can be very helpful for phrasing and developing good intonation, especially since most of us know this music so well already." - Douglas Yeo, Bass Trombonist, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Music Director, The New England Brass Band
"David, These are beautifully done. I will recommend them to my colleagues and students." - Larry Zalkind, Principal Trombonist, Utah Symphony
Revised December 9, 2009 |
