Dental Suite: A Review
Harris, Paul. Dental Suite. Queen's Temple Publications, QT182. Buckingham, Buckinghamshire UK. 2018. Sheet music. ISMN 979-0-708086-82-6.
Paul Harris' Dental Suite is an engaging collection of 16 studies for the young trombonist. Dedicated to the trombone-playing dentist Duncan Edworthy, the title of each etude correspond to various dental escapades and is paired with a subtitle conveying the pedagogical goal of each study. Each etude has a companion illustration by the Drew cartoonist Drew Hillier. Donated for review by Queen's Temple Publications (QT 182), these etudes are of value for those seeking repertoire for the developing musician that differs from introductory overtone, flexibility, and slide position technical exercises ubiquitous of trombonist-authored treatises.
| Number | Title | Pedagogical descriptor | Tempo/style | Key | Range |
| 1 | Off to the Dentist | A study to explore arpeggio patterns | Allegro Marziale | E♭ major | Bb♭-E♭4 |
| 2 | Brace Yourself | A study to explore crescendos and accents | Moderato/td> | C major | C3-A3 |
| 3 | Open Wide | A study to explore wider intervals | Allegretto | D minor | G2-D4 |
| 4 | You know the drill | A study to explore quavers [eighth notes] | As fast as possible (like a drill) | E♭ major | B♭2-G3 |
| 5 | The Dentist's Chair | A study to explore glissando | Spirito | B♭ major | F2-B♭3 |
| 6 | You did very well! | A study to explore swung rhythms | Swing! | D major | A2-D4 |
| 7 | You won't feel a thing... | A study to explore feeling a strong sense of pulse | Andante con moto (5/4) | A♭ major | A2-A3 |
| 8 | Oh dear! Multiple cavities | A study to explore staccato and accents | Hard rock tempo | G minor | G2-B♭3 |
| 9 | Have you been flossing? | A study to explore simple legato | Flossing smoothly and gently | B♭ major | A2-D4 |
| 10 | Tooth Out! | A study to explore dotted rhythms | Quick as a flash... | E♭ major | G2-E♭4 |
| 11 | Tooth Decay | A study to explore diminuendo and ties | Andante sostenuto | C major | G2-A3 |
| 12 | Root Canal | A study to explore low notes | Very precisely | G major | G2-D3 |
| 13 | "Don't eat Sweats!" | A study to explore a cantabile tone | Jazz waltz tempo (one-in-a-bar-feel) | A♭ major | Ab♭-E♭4 |
| 14 | Wobbly Teeth | A study to explore oscillating quaver [eighth note] patterns | Moderato | D minor | A2-A3 |
| 15 | Rinse! | A study to explore Klezmer style | With tremendous energy | G minor | G2-B♭3 |
| 16 | See you in 6 Months | A study to explore 6/8 time | Relaxed and happy | Ab major | A♭2-A♭3 |
As an example of the level of writing, Etude 5 employs a variety of glissandi within a limited range for the developing musician.
Example 1. Dental Suite Etude No. 5 "The Dentist's Chair."
Acknowledging the contributions by Mark Denton and Robert Priestley, this is a welcome collection for the novice. For those interested in learning about his soloistic writing for trombone, his Trombone Concerto (QT 24) has been published with percussion and piano reduction, with sample audio on the publisher's website. Dental Suite is a welcome addition to the pedagogical materials for the emerging trombonist.
Example 2. Illustration by Drew Whillier in Dental Suite, page 10.