TromboneChat

Hi!

A local orchestra has taken leave of their senses and asked if there is a concerto I'd like to play as an invited soloist. This is, frankly, the first time I've been invited to do that, and it's not something I ever seek or plan for. So I find myself at a bit of a loss. What would you recommend as a good piece to perform?

I'll tell you that I don't care for the Grondahl (very elementary and boring), and the Rimsky-Korsakov doesn't excite me because it's overdone. I'm not averse to working up some difficult passages, but I don't want to tackle anything that is "too much work for the payoff." And a crowd pleaser would be nice, if there is such a thing for trombone players. They haven't mentioned a limit on rental costs, so at the moment I'm just going to present them with one or two best options for me, not them.

I'm looking first for something written specifically for trombone, but I'd consider the right cello or other adaptation.

What have you experts got for me? Mo bettah if you can link a performance if it's something I might not be familiar with.

Thanks for your help! This is virgin territory for me.

I think Little Buckaroo is very approachable for a lay listener. Cool piece, too.
https://www.anthonydilorenzo.com/the-li ... aroo-we-cb

This recording is with wind band. But it was originally written for orchestra.

Still maybe a little overdone, but the David Concertino is very listenable.

I found parts for the Guilmant Morceau Symphonique (trombone and orchestra) on Sheet Music Plus. We did that with a young soloist one Christmas.

Both not too hard to learn and prepare.

Here are some thoughts.
Ferdinand David. Old school style, not too flashy and not too difficult to learn.

Gordon Jacob. More modern, (1956) Written for Denis Wick. Difficult but good if you have the time.

Derek Bourgeois. More modern and perhaps more of a crowd pleaser.

The last 2 are on a CD by Christian Lindberg, "British Trombone Concertos"

Cheers

Stewbones43

How about something like DeFaye Deux Danses. In places it leans a little jazzy and definitely shows range with a couple of high Fs, I think. Its not really a concerto, and a little off beat from the usual concerto circuit. It doesn't have an orchestra part that I've seen. But seeing some of the other things you've produced, getting an orchestration of this shouldn't be out of range... And it's a really beautiful piece.

stewbones43 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 18, 2024 5:02 pm Here are some thoughts.
Ferdinand David. Old school style, not too flashy and not too difficult to learn.

Gordon Jacob. More modern, (1956) Written for Denis Wick. Difficult but good if you have the time.

Derek Bourgeois. More modern and perhaps more of a crowd pleaser.

The last 2 are on a CD by Christian Lindberg, "British Trombone Concertos"

Cheers

Stewbones43

Between the Bourgeois and the Jacob, you call the Jacob difficult?!

I'd do the Grondahl. Look up Lindberg doing it live on YouTube

Something that can be a crowd pleaser: Bert Appermont's Colors for Trombone. Kind of cheesy at times but very easy to listen to!

There are a few Arthur Pryor tunes arranged for orchestra.

I’ll second Appermont’s Colors. That immediately sprang to mind for me, too.

You don't play bass trombone, do you? If yes, then a perfect piece is Elizabeth Raum's concerto for bass trombone, strings and percussion. It's a piece any audience would enjoy, it's catchy. And it's by a living, female composer.

Shilkret's concerto (originally written for Tommy Dorsey?) is a great piece to listen to, but anyone know how to rental a sheet music of it? No information whatsoever on the internet.
Appermont's Colors is originally for band but is also available for orchestra. The composer sells the arrangement if you contact him directly.

The Shilkret is sort of zealously guarded by the Shilkret family. They have the score and sheets as rental only, you gotta contact them directly. So they will rent to, say, Christian Lindberg to record with BIS. They probably won't rent to Joe Blow to perform with the local college.

I will offer one suggestion - if you haven't heard the group in question, you might want to listen to them - either by dropping in to a rehearsal or perhaps there's a recording or two from a previous concert. I'm guessing that they aren't a professional orchestra based on the fact that you're not based in a large city anymore. You may have to choose something where the accompaniment takes their abilities into account.

Two suggestions that have strings-only accompaniments - the Lars-Erik Larsson - Concertino and the Milhaud - Concertino d'Hiver.

Jim Scott

CalgaryTbone wrote: ↑Fri Jul 19, 2024 10:30 am ... strings-only accompaniments - the Lars-Erik Larsson - Concertino ...
Jim Scott

Yes, this is another of my favorites, and a different way to run the orchestra...

It's great:

tbdana wrote: ↑Thu Jul 18, 2024 4:37 pm Hi!
I'm looking first for something written specifically for trombone, but I'd consider the right cello or other adaptation.

How about something different for a change:
**Jerzy Fitelberg, Concerto for trombone, piano and string orchestra**
premiered by Davis Shuman in 1947

There is no published edition, but the manuscript is in the NY Public Library.

Howard

I never hesrd of it but it's interesting. Needs a good piano player too.