Symphonic music with only 1 trombone
- harpo
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Jan 10, 2020
My orchestra is going on tour, but we only have one trombone (me!!). Repertoire ideas?
Ideas that I've already got:
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Nielsen: Flute Concerto (but need soloist)
Korngold: Violin Concerto (but need soloist)
Milhaud: Le BÅ“uf sur le toit
Bach/Webern: Ricerar a 6
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2 (but maybe too much percussion)
Bonus points if it has a decent harp part.
Ideas that I've already got:
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
Nielsen: Flute Concerto (but need soloist)
Korngold: Violin Concerto (but need soloist)
Milhaud: Le BÅ“uf sur le toit
Bach/Webern: Ricerar a 6
Villa-Lobos: Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2 (but maybe too much percussion)
Bonus points if it has a decent harp part.
- harrisonreed
- Posts: 6479
- Joined: Aug 17, 2018
Nearly any music pre-Beethoven would work!
:clever: :biggrin: :twisted:
:clever: :biggrin: :twisted:
- harpo
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Jan 10, 2020
[quote="harrisonreed"]Nearly any music pre-Beethoven would work!
:clever: :biggrin: :twisted:[/quote]
Erm, wouldn't that be 0 trombone?!
And Mozart, Eggert, Gluck etc. tend to use three, not 1.
:clever: :biggrin: :twisted:[/quote]
Erm, wouldn't that be 0 trombone?!
And Mozart, Eggert, Gluck etc. tend to use three, not 1.
- harrisonreed
- Posts: 6479
- Joined: Aug 17, 2018
Oh you're right -- "none" trombones, not "one" trombones.
Mozart and most classical composers typically used none. You see them in specifically his religious works though.
Technically those non-religious works would work though! <EMOJI seq="1f615" tseq="1f615">😕</EMOJI>
Mozart and most classical composers typically used none. You see them in specifically his religious works though.
Technically those non-religious works would work though! <EMOJI seq="1f615" tseq="1f615">😕</EMOJI>
- BGuttman
- Posts: 7368
- Joined: Mar 22, 2018
We played a few Debussy works with only one trombone.
There were a few Rossini overtures arranged for one trombone (and it was a bass trombone).
Stravinsky's "L'Histoire du Soldat" is arranged for 8 musicians including one trombone.
With a lot of concerto works we played that had one trombone part, the part doubled 4th horn, so if we had 4 horns we didn't use the trombone.
There were a few Rossini overtures arranged for one trombone (and it was a bass trombone).
Stravinsky's "L'Histoire du Soldat" is arranged for 8 musicians including one trombone.
With a lot of concerto works we played that had one trombone part, the part doubled 4th horn, so if we had 4 horns we didn't use the trombone.
- Chatname
- Posts: 233
- Joined: Oct 19, 2019
Maybe these are too obvious, but:
Pulcinella
Strauss-Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Berg Chamber Concerto
Schreker Chamber Symphony
Nice trombone parts in these.
Pulcinella
Strauss-Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Berg Chamber Concerto
Schreker Chamber Symphony
Nice trombone parts in these.
- EdwardSolomon
- Posts: 130
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
Several early Weber overtures use a single bass trombone in the orchestra.
You'll also find a variety of late 18th and early 19th century French works that use one tenor trombone.
You'll also find a variety of late 18th and early 19th century French works that use one tenor trombone.
- harpo
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Jan 10, 2020
Thanks everyone. Loving the Schreker. I've found a few more. So my list looks like this.
Bach/Webern Ricercar a 6
Stravinsky Pulcinella
Schreker Chamber Symphony
Peter and the Wolf
Milhaud Le BÅ“uf sur le toit
Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2
Alan Bush Partita Concertante
Glinka Kamarinskaya
Alan Bush Birthday Overture
Derek Bourgeois Green Dragon Overture
Copland John Henry
Copland Down a Country Lane
Paul Patterson The Three Little Pigs
Bernstein Fancy Free (Reduced Orchestration)
Bernstein Mass (Chamber Version, but has other issues, like requiring soloists and choir!)
Strauss-Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Berg Chamber Concerto
Offenbach Overtures
Weber Overtures
Stravinsky's "L'Histoire du Soldat" (but not full orchestra)
Lambert - Mr Bear Squash you all flat (but not full orchestra)
and then for concertos (but we have no soloist!)
Nielsen Flute Concerto
Ravel Piano Concerto
Korngold Violin Concerto
Weber Konzertstück f-moll, Op. 79
Schumann (C) Piano Concerto
Bach/Webern Ricercar a 6
Stravinsky Pulcinella
Schreker Chamber Symphony
Peter and the Wolf
Milhaud Le BÅ“uf sur le toit
Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2
Alan Bush Partita Concertante
Glinka Kamarinskaya
Alan Bush Birthday Overture
Derek Bourgeois Green Dragon Overture
Copland John Henry
Copland Down a Country Lane
Paul Patterson The Three Little Pigs
Bernstein Fancy Free (Reduced Orchestration)
Bernstein Mass (Chamber Version, but has other issues, like requiring soloists and choir!)
Strauss-Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme
Berg Chamber Concerto
Offenbach Overtures
Weber Overtures
Stravinsky's "L'Histoire du Soldat" (but not full orchestra)
Lambert - Mr Bear Squash you all flat (but not full orchestra)
and then for concertos (but we have no soloist!)
Nielsen Flute Concerto
Ravel Piano Concerto
Korngold Violin Concerto
Weber Konzertstück f-moll, Op. 79
Schumann (C) Piano Concerto
- VJOFan
- Posts: 529
- Joined: Apr 06, 2018
Bizet overtures or suites often work with just the bass trombone part and pasting in key moments from the 1st part.
- JohnL
- Posts: 2529
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
Two of the four movements of Copland's Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo ("Saturday Night Waltz" and "Corral Nocturne") have only one trombone part. There's harp parts, but I don't know enough about harp to know if they're "decent".
Both of Chopin's piano concertos have only one trombone part, but they're only an option if you've got a soloist available.
Both of Chopin's piano concertos have only one trombone part, but they're only an option if you've got a soloist available.
- AtomicClock
- Posts: 1094
- Joined: Oct 19, 2023
Blue Danube
- StephenK
- Posts: 171
- Joined: Mar 26, 2018
The Nielsen flute concerto has of course a part for bass trombone, (preferably in a touchy relationship with the flautist!<EMOJI seq="1f602" tseq="1f602">😂</EMOJI>)
- Finetales
- Posts: 1482
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
[quote="AtomicClock"]Blue Danube[/quote]
Not just the Blue Danube, but a ton of Strauss waltzes often have a single part (meant for bass trombone, easily playable on tenor). There's only a handful I've seen that have 2 or 3 parts, the vast majority just have the one. What's that quote about a bass trombone gallivanting in the back of the orchestra?
Some examples:
An der schönen blauen Donau, Op.314
Aus den Bergen Walzer, Op.292
Autograph Waltzes
Ballg'schichten Walzer, Op.150
Colonnen Walzer, Op.262
Concurrenzen Walzer, Op.267
Controversen Walzer, Op.191
Cycloiden Walzer, Op.207
Die ersten Curen Walzer, Op.261
Die Extravaganten Walzer, Op.205
Feen-Märchen Walzer, Op.312
Frauenkäferln Walzer, Op.99
Hofballtänze Walzer, Op.298
Idyllen Walzer, Op.95
Immer heiterer Walzer, Op.235
Liebes-Lieder Walzer, Op.114
And so on...but you'd have to love waltzes as I do to play all that!
Not just the Blue Danube, but a ton of Strauss waltzes often have a single part (meant for bass trombone, easily playable on tenor). There's only a handful I've seen that have 2 or 3 parts, the vast majority just have the one. What's that quote about a bass trombone gallivanting in the back of the orchestra?
Some examples:
An der schönen blauen Donau, Op.314
Aus den Bergen Walzer, Op.292
Autograph Waltzes
Ballg'schichten Walzer, Op.150
Colonnen Walzer, Op.262
Concurrenzen Walzer, Op.267
Controversen Walzer, Op.191
Cycloiden Walzer, Op.207
Die ersten Curen Walzer, Op.261
Die Extravaganten Walzer, Op.205
Feen-Märchen Walzer, Op.312
Frauenkäferln Walzer, Op.99
Hofballtänze Walzer, Op.298
Idyllen Walzer, Op.95
Immer heiterer Walzer, Op.235
Liebes-Lieder Walzer, Op.114
And so on...but you'd have to love waltzes as I do to play all that!
- JohnL
- Posts: 2529
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
[quote="Finetales"]but you'd have to love waltzes as I do to play all that![/quote]
You'd have to love waltzes to play more than a couple if you're taking all of the repeats. They do tend to go on and on (and on...).
You'd have to love waltzes to play more than a couple if you're taking all of the repeats. They do tend to go on and on (and on...).
- GabrielRice
- Posts: 1496
- Joined: Mar 23, 2018
Stravinsky Pulcinella is a great choice.
I think most Rossini overtures exist in single trombone versions. La Gazza Ladra comes to mind immediately.
Excellent newer works with a single trombone part:
Joan Tower Made in America
Valerie Coleman Seven O'Clock Shout
I think most Rossini overtures exist in single trombone versions. La Gazza Ladra comes to mind immediately.
Excellent newer works with a single trombone part:
Joan Tower Made in America
Valerie Coleman Seven O'Clock Shout