Recital "chop break" piece

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TokenBone
Posts: 8
Joined: May 23, 2024

by TokenBone »

Happy Holidays everyone,

I think I am posting this in the right place, if not I apologize. I come wondering of some pieces at or under 10 minutes that are a bit easier on the face for a recital I plan on doing in the spring. I currently have Colors by Bert Appermont and Mourning Dove by Megumi Kanda picked out. I need one more piece, ideally between those to give the face a "break". Open to any and all suggestions!

Thanks everyone!
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MStarke
Posts: 1031
Joined: Jan 01, 2019

by MStarke »

Jorgensen or Weber Romance.
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Wilktone
Posts: 720
Joined: Mar 27, 2018

by Wilktone »

I'm not familiar with the pieces you mentioned that are already programmed, so I'm not sure how demanding those pieces are in comparison. I've used Saint-Saens's Cavatine, Op. 144 a couple of times for a "chop break" in a recital.

It's in the public domain now, so you can look at it here:

<LINK_TEXT text="https://imslp.org/wiki/Cavatine%2C_Op.1 ... C_Camille)">https://imslp.org/wiki/Cavatine%2C_Op.144_(Saint-Saëns%2C_Camille)</LINK_TEXT>

Dave
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Kdanielsen
Posts: 609
Joined: Jul 28, 2019

by Kdanielsen »

Vocal music is good for this. It can be very easy and still worth programming.
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Ostiax
Posts: 12
Joined: Oct 31, 2024

by Ostiax »

Sang Till Lotta is one of my favorite solos, it's an absolutely beautiful piece that hovers firmly in the middle register. It's super melodic and is a wonderful chop break piece.
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VJOFan
Posts: 529
Joined: Apr 06, 2018

by VJOFan »

<LINK_TEXT text="https://www.grothmusic.com/p-56144-4-pr ... piano.aspx">https://www.grothmusic.com/p-56144-4-preludes-trombone-and-piano.aspx</LINK_TEXT>

This is a great chop break, but with a lot of things that sound flashy. It wouldn’t necessarily stand out as your “easy” piece. You don’t even have to do all four.

I saw this too while browsing. I’m not sure if they are from the same source material, but if so, there are more choices included in this edition. <LINK_TEXT text="https://cherryclassics.com/products/sho ... -and-piano">https://cherryclassics.com/products/shostakovich-preludes-op-34-transcribed-for-trombone-and-piano</LINK_TEXT>
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Kdanielsen
Posts: 609
Joined: Jul 28, 2019

by Kdanielsen »

[quote="VJOFan"]<LINK_TEXT text="https://www.grothmusic.com/p-56144-4-pr ... piano.aspx">https://www.grothmusic.com/p-56144-4-preludes-trombone-and-piano.aspx</LINK_TEXT>

This is a great chop break, but with a lot of things that sound flashy. It wouldn’t necessarily stand out as your “easy” piece. You don’t even have to do all four.

I saw this too while browsing. I’m not sure if they are from the same source material, but if so, there are more choices included in this edition. <LINK_TEXT text="https://cherryclassics.com/products/sho ... -and-piano">https://cherryclassics.com/products/shostakovich-preludes-op-34-transcribed-for-trombone-and-piano</LINK_TEXT>[/quote]

The Markey ones from Cherry Classics are the ones from his tenor trombone cd Offroad (an excellent recording). They are very demanding. I transcribed and played half of them on a recital in grad school. It’s exciting to see the real version in print!
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harrisonreed
Posts: 6479
Joined: Aug 17, 2018

by harrisonreed »

Just have the piano player play one of their featured solos. I know for college, you're supposed to play the whole time and it is supposed to be all about the trombone, but the best recitals I've seen, the trombone player will go and sit off to the side and listen to Chopin with the rest of the audience in the middle of the recital. Of course, you need a really good accompanist.
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TokenBone
Posts: 8
Joined: May 23, 2024

by TokenBone »

Thanks for all the replies!

I started to check out Jorgensen Romance and I order the Mahler songs of a wayfarer. I have already played the Weber and the Cavatine and I don't want to reprogram those just yet, but really good shouts there. As much as I would love to put some Chopin or Liszt right in the middle and let the pianist have the spotlight, I am not sure how that would sit with some people.
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CalgaryTbone
Posts: 1460
Joined: May 10, 2018

by CalgaryTbone »

A good Baroque transcription that isn't too high comes to mind for me. Galliard Sonatas are nice music, and aren't hard on the chops - I'm sure there's a lot of similar choices out there. Balance out the other works you're doing - Colors has some difficult high register passages, and is long, so choose stuff with either with some breaks, or that sits in a lower range. It's also nice to program some music from a different era, and with a different level of excitement. It can be really nice to give the audience a break, and play something pretty and without tons of technique and high notes. It also make those same things more exciting in your other pieces.

Jim Scott
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SamBTbrn
Posts: 128
Joined: Oct 10, 2023

by SamBTbrn »

Alonso Malik Pirio Sonata for Bass Trombone is a nice one.

Full of Long Glissandos to relax the chops and some (but not alot) low notes to loosen them up. On top of that the music is just beautifully written! It's not really a difficult Basstrombone piece with lots of low valve stuff so it can easily be played on tenor.
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LeTromboniste
Posts: 1634
Joined: Apr 11, 2018

by LeTromboniste »

[quote="Kdanielsen"]Vocal music is good for this. It can be very easy and still worth programming.[/quote]

Exactly this. With the caveat that I wouldn't see it exactly as easy in the sense that it doesn't require work – there is almost no limit to how far one can work to improve their playing of the lyrics and being more vocal – but yes, easy on the chops once on stage. Also gives a chance to show a different side of the trombone.