CONCERT REVIEW: RORY INGHAM’S TROMBONE ASSEMBLY

Listening Lounge

This edition of The Listening Lounge has something of a French theme, featuring rare recordings of three major works performed by French trombonists conducted, or accompanied, by the French composer. The fourth recording is an equally rare performance of a concerto composed by a doyen amongst British brass band composers. These, and previous selections, can be found in The Listening Lounge playlist on the BTS YouTube channel. Nominations of tracks or albums to include in The Listening Lounge can be made by emailing editor@ britishtrombonesociety.org.

DARIUS MILHAUD – CONCERTINO D’HIVER, OP. 327 Darius Milhaud’s Concertino d’Hiver (Winter Concerto), Op. 327, completes the composer's series of ‘Seasons’ concertinos. The prèmiere recording, from 1953, is performed by Maurice Suzan and conducted by Milhaud. A contemporary interpretation can be found here, given by BTS Past President Matthew Gee, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) as part of the 2021 RPO at Home series.

JEAN-MICHEL DEFAYE – DEUX DANSES Jean-Michel Defaye’s Deux Danses is a mainstay of the solo repertoire for both tenor and bass trombone. Not only is Gabriel Masson’s prèmiere recording, accompanied by Defaye at the piano, a fine example of the French style of trombone playing, it is also a lesson in the use of historical recordings. Follow along with the solo part, if you can, and note how far Masson diverges from the published edition, giving rise to the question of where the composer’s true intentions lie: with the work he allowed to be published, or with the recording he allowed to be released? Discuss…

MAURICE RAVEL – BOLERO This recording, from 1930, conducted by the composer, features the influential André Lafosse performing the famous trombone solo. Lafosse, in his Méthode complète pour le trombone, expresses the opinion that the use of vibrato is vulgar (unusual for a trombonist of the French tradition), and that glissandi are of questionable taste. Accordingly, he employs no vibrato in this performance, but surprisingly adds extra glissandi, presumably with Ravel’s blessing.

WILFRED HEATON – TROMBONE CONCERTO Wilfred Heaton is well known in brass band circles for his masterpiece Contest Music, but performances of his equally ambitious Trombone Concerto remain a rarity. Originally created in 1991 for Nick Hudson and the Britannia Building Society Band (now Foden’s), the Trombone Concerto is a substantial reworking of Heaton’s 1954 Rhapsody for Oboe and Strings. This live performance by Ian Bousfield, accompanied by Foden’s, is from the 2019 RNCM Brass Band Festival and fully captures Heaton’s unique musical voice. ◆