|
Program Notes
I have chosen music for this recording which I think is fun to play, enjoyable to listen to, and represents the many wonderful qualities which the trombone possesses.
 Defaÿ - Deux Danses is well know to trombonists, and is a challenging virtuoso showpiece for the trombone. This type of piece shows the trombone at its most sensual in the first movement, and its playful side in the samba dance movement.
Strauss - The Nocturno was written by Richard Strauss' father, quite an accomplished horn player himself. Although the piece is a standard of the horn repertoire, I think it also works especially well on trombone. Franz was solo horn at the Hofoper in Munich, and played the premiere performances of Wagner's Tristan, Meistersinger, and Parsifal.
Martin - The Ballade by Frank Martin is a piece I first discovered in high school, and have enjoyed playing ever since. It has a wonderful form, and has withstood the test of time. Written for the Geneva Competition in 1940, it was originally scored for trombone and piano, and soon after, an orchestral arrangement was completed. It would undoubtedly be performed more with orchestra if it were not for its brief duration.
Albinoni - The Concerto in D minor, performed for this recording on alto trombone is one of several concertos originally written for one or two oboes by Albinoni. It proves a marvelous vehicle for the range and timber of the alto trombone, as well as a showcase for Robin Sutherland's keyboard mastery of music from this period.
Marcello - The Sonata no. 3 is one of six sonatas for cello, all of which are commonly played on trombone. As is the case with most string music, the wind performer must take judicious breaths and alter certain articulations to fit the instrument. Nevertheless, these sonatas work quite well once these issues are dealt with.
Massenet - The famous violin solo from the opera "Thaïs" is a lyrical, reflective work. It was already so popular at the time of the opera's premiere at the Paris Opera in 1894,that it existed in eight different transcriptions. In context, it has an important dramatic function as a interlude in the second act, played with curtain down. It symbolizes the moment when Thaïs, a courtesan in fourth-century Alexandria, converts to Christianity under the influence of the monk Athanaël. Scott Hartman has done a wonderful job arranging this beautiful solo for the trombone. I wanted to record this for my mother, whose beautiful violin playing I can still hear from my childhood.
Arnold - Malcolm Arnold is a fluent and versatile composer. A former principal trumpet with the London Philharmonic, his output as a composer is prodigious, including more than 80 film scores. He won an Oscar for his 45-minute score of "The Bridge on the River Kwai". His music is basically diatonic and key oriented. In smaller-scale works the main attraction often lies in the catchy tunes and the pleasure the music gives to the performer. His Fantasy for Trombone is one of eight that he wrote for solo wind instruments.
Castérède - French composer and teacher Jacques Castérède wrote the Sonatine in 1958. It is a virtuosic piece for both the trombonist and the pianist, and I have always found it to be very satisfying for both the performer and the listener. The second movement is a hauntingly beautiful display fo the trombone's vocal qualities.
Dorsey - Tommy Dorsey studied trumpet with his father, and later changed to trombone, becoming one of the most famous trombonists in recent times. He was vastly admired for his technical skill on his instrument. His tone was pure, his phrasing was elegant, and he was able to play an almost seamless legato line; as a player of ballads he has rarely been surpassed. My thanks to Bob Elkjer for his great arrangement of the piano part.
|
