The Devil’s Dermish – for Trombone and Piano

This fiendishly virtuosic concert piece was written for trombonist Brian Diehl in 1994. A dermish is a Croatian folk dance (authentically spelled “drmesâ€?) containing dance steps that, at times, go “against the grainâ€? of the music. The Devil’s Dermish has two main types of music, one in the lower range of the instrument, with quick, tongued notes, and the other a “limpingâ€? waltz in 5/8 time, more scalar and legato, exploring the higher ranges and allowing for expressive use of tone color and vibrato. The cadenza-like section employs techniques such as harmonic glissandi in one slide position, and multiphonics (singing one note while playing another). For advanced performers.