Gary Philo

Trombone Sextet 4 Tenor Trombones, 2 Bass Trombones

Composer's Note:

Nobilis humilis magne martir (anonymous) ca. 12th or 13th century.The St. Magnus Hymn, or "Nobilis humilis" is a piece of music which celebrates St. Magnus of Orkney. The hymn can be dated to at least the thirteenth century and may be from the twelfth century. If the hymn dates from the twelfth century then it is especially relevant to the cathedral as it would be contemporary with the construction of the cathedral. The hymn is written in Latin and is comprised of seven stanzas which are repeated to the same piece of music. The hymn can be found in a thirteenth century manuscript owned by the Uppsala University. "” St. Magnus Cathedral.

My arrangement for trombone sextet is a series of statements of the original tune (first played by trombones 1 and 2), followed by an interlude. Each successive statement of the original two-voice melody is presented as a variation of the original. Altogether there are five statements of the original hymn, four interludes, and a short coda.