Next year, I have the opportunity to play a solo with our community orchestra. I’d like to find something contemporary, listenable, not too hard (doesn’t have to be a technical concerto) and perhaps unique in some way.
Do any of you have suggestions or recommendations of places I can search?
Many thanks in advance,
John
Re: Pieces for solo trombone and orchestra?
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 4:28 pm
by BGuttman
David Concertino (Op 4)
Guilment Morceau Symphonique
Or "borrow":
Mozart Horn Concerto (there are 4 -- pick one you like)
Mozart Bassoon Concerto
Rossini "Largo al Factotum" from Barber of Seville
I know they are not contemporary, but most contemporary works are not tuneful or easy (and sometimes neither). Also, they will have to rent the parts and it's going to cost some significant money.
Re: Pieces for solo trombone and orchestra?
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 4:36 pm
by harrisonreed
The easiest contemporary piece I know of that is also easy on the ears is Mackey's "Harvest" concerto. Followed by Lindberg's "Mandrake in the Corner", which is very technical but not on the same level of insanity as most of the other new trombone concertos. T-bone concerto is not technically difficult but it's very difficult to get through that slog without your face dying, unless you want to skimp the Fs.
Going a bit further back, the Larsson Concertino or Grondahl were written after the 1950s. They are "easy".
Otherwise you're left with pieces that are very easy listening but next to impossible to get through, like "Visions of Light", or pieces that I think audiences would "get" but are also nearly impossible to play like Nyman's trombone concerto.
Re: Pieces for solo trombone and orchestra?
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 6:01 pm
by IanDeterlingComposer
Not sure if you'd be interested in trombone + string orchestra or strictly full orchestra - but here is a fun one for solo trombone with strings!
It's the first movement of a larger concerto that can stand alone as a short concertino. I originally wrote it as a trombone or bass trombone feature - but I adapted it for a variety of other instruments, so the solo part is offered in C, Bb, Eb, and F keys - all shown in the score.
Re: Pieces for solo trombone and orchestra?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 6:09 pm
by Doldom
Maybe, Appermont's Colors for trombone?
Originally for concert band, but there's an orchestral version. Contact the composer directly and you can buy score and parts from him.
Re: Pieces for solo trombone and orchestra?
Posted: Tue Mar 29, 2022 9:11 pm
by mahlertwo
harrisonreed wrote: ↑Mon Mar 28, 2022 4:36 pm
The easiest contemporary piece I know of that is also easy on the ears is Mackey's "Harvest" concerto. Followed by Lindberg's "Mandrake in the Corner", which is very technical but not on the same level of insanity as most of the other new trombone concertos. T-bone concerto is not technically difficult but it's very difficult to get through that slog without your face dying, unless you want to skimp the Fs.
Going a bit further back, the Larsson Concertino or Grondahl were written after the 1950s. They are "easy".
Otherwise you're left with pieces that are very easy listening but next to impossible to get through, like "Visions of Light", or pieces that I think audiences would "get" but are also nearly impossible to play like Nyman's trombone concerto.
Grondahl's 1924, but I'd still say it's a pretty good choice, as long as OP's not too strict about the definition of contemporary.
Re: Pieces for solo trombone and orchestra?
Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:08 am
by harrisonreed
mahlertwo wrote: ↑Tue Mar 29, 2022 9:11 pm
Grondahl's 1924, but I'd still say it's a pretty good choice, as long as OP's not too strict about the definition of contemporary.
Dang you are so right. Why did I think the piece was non-PD? Maybe I had a piano reduction that was dated in the 50s? I'm off to track down a PD piano reduction now!
I'm off to track down a PD piano reduction now!