Suggest a concerto for me

T
tbdana
Posts: 1928
Joined: Apr 08, 2023

by tbdana »

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.
A
AtomicClock
Posts: 1094
Joined: Oct 19, 2023

by AtomicClock »

I think Little Buckaroo is very approachable for a lay listener. Cool piece, too.

<LINK_TEXT text="https://www.anthonydilorenzo.com/the-li ... aroo-we-cb">https://www.anthonydilorenzo.com/the-little-buckaroo-we-cb</LINK_TEXT>

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

<YOUTUBE id="cboaNxwHtDI" t="570">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cboaNxwHtDI&t=570s</YOUTUBE>
B
BGuttman
Posts: 7368
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by BGuttman »

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.
S
stewbones43
Posts: 333
Joined: Oct 25, 2018

by stewbones43 »

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
H
hyperbolica
Posts: 3990
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by hyperbolica » (edited 2024-07-19 1:20 p.m.)

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.

<YOUTUBE id="iEjI8PMvFnc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEjI8PMvFnc</YOUTUBE>
H
harrisonreed
Posts: 6479
Joined: Aug 17, 2018

by harrisonreed »

[quote="stewbones43"]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[/quote]

Between the Bourgeois and the Jacob, you call the Jacob difficult?! :horror:
H
harrisonreed
Posts: 6479
Joined: Aug 17, 2018

by harrisonreed »

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

<YOUTUBE id="H_1vF64pEVQ">[media]https://youtu.be/H_1vF64pEVQ?si=p6htUAsaWfVPQ8QA</YOUTUBE>
L
LeTromboniste
Posts: 1634
Joined: Apr 11, 2018

by LeTromboniste »

Something that can be a crowd pleaser: Bert Appermont's Colors for Trombone. Kind of cheesy at times but very easy to listen to!
A
AndrewMeronek
Posts: 1487
Joined: Mar 30, 2018

by AndrewMeronek »

There are a few Arthur Pryor tunes arranged for orchestra.

<YOUTUBE id="aceF2tlJIqA">[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aceF2tlJIqA</YOUTUBE>
B
bitbckt
Posts: 298
Joined: Aug 19, 2020

by bitbckt »

I’ll second Appermont’s Colors. That immediately sprang to mind for me, too.
L
LeTromboniste
Posts: 1634
Joined: Apr 11, 2018

by LeTromboniste »

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.
D
Doldom
Posts: 139
Joined: May 12, 2018

by Doldom »

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.
H
harrisonreed
Posts: 6479
Joined: Aug 17, 2018

by harrisonreed »

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.
C
CalgaryTbone
Posts: 1460
Joined: May 10, 2018

by CalgaryTbone »

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
H
hyperbolica
Posts: 3990
Joined: Mar 23, 2018

by hyperbolica »

[quote="CalgaryTbone"]... strings-only accompaniments - the Lars-Erik Larsson - Concertino ...

Jim Scott[/quote]

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

<YOUTUBE id="YtbGL115mQA">https://youtu.be/YtbGL115mQA?feature=shared</YOUTUBE>
H
harrisonreed
Posts: 6479
Joined: Aug 17, 2018

by harrisonreed »

H
HowardW
Posts: 76
Joined: May 11, 2018

by HowardW »

[quote="tbdana"]Hi! :)

I'm looking first for something written specifically for trombone, but I'd consider the right cello or other adaptation.[/quote]
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
D
Doug_Elliott
Posts: 4155
Joined: Mar 22, 2018

by Doug_Elliott »

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

<YOUTUBE id="OqwZVV-Spto">https://youtu.be/OqwZVV-Spto?si=gtVuBe53fh1ezEa2</YOUTUBE>