Photography courtesy of Betina Skovbro
G&T WINTER 2016 THE TROMBONIST
BY MATTHEW GEE & MARK TEMPLETON
CITY OF BIRMINGHAM SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, SYMPHONY HALL, BIRMINGHAM The first of two appearances for the CBSO, a kids concert enticingly titled ‘Myths and Legends’. The CBSO are looking for a new first trombone player and this programme - including Stravinsky’s Firebird, music from Harry Potter, and Wagner’s Lohengrin - is going to provide a fantastic opportunity for some lucky trialist. Sunday 22nd October, 2:30pm
HALLÉ ORCHESTRA, USHER HALL, EDINBURGH Making a trip with their principal conductor Sir Mark Elder to the Edinburgh Festival, the Hallé tackle Hector Berlioz’ monumental La damnation de Faust. Aside from the famous March, there are plenty of moments to keep Katy and the low brass on their toes. Berlioz really understood the trombone and in his own words his idiomatic writing will surely ‘awaken the dead or doom the living’. Sunday 20th August, 7pm ROYAL LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA, LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, LIVERPOOL Bernstein’s suite from On the Waterfront and Holst’s The Planets frame the UK premiere of Legacy for Solo Horn, Harp, Percussion and Strings by Aaron Jay Kernis. If you can get over the fact that the new work is for solo horn (perhaps imagine it is an alto trombone!) it will be a great night of music. Thursday 19th October, 7:30pm
We have decided not to focus exclusively on the BBC Proms this summer, although there are a good few inclusions. Instead we are bringing you the best of the rest where you are.
at the BBC Proms - it truly is one of the greatest classical music festivals. Saturday 12th August, 7:30pm
Thanks Matt. Here are my trombone highlights. CBSO, SYMPHONY HALL, BIRMINGHAM AND ULSTER ORCHESTRA, BELFAST WATERFRONT A lot of people only hear orchestral music at the cinema or the TV. When John Williams started writing the music for Star Wars, he and George Lucas envisaged an opera set in space. Taking inspiration from Wagner, Strauss, Mahler, Holst, Prokofiev and others, John Williams created a sound world for these films which is instantly recognisable. Both the CBSO with Michael Seal and the Ulster Orchestra with Stephen Bell play all your favourites from the Star Wars saga. Friday 3rd November, 7.30pm (CBSO) and Saturday 21st October, 7:45pm (UO) BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON. Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, ‘The Resurrection’ is still one of my favourite pieces to play. It has everything. You can’t help but get caught up in the beauty and grandeur of it. Hear Helen and the team at the BBC Symphony on Friday 18th August at the Proms. 7.30pm
the Royal Albert Hall at 7.30pm PHILHARMONIA, ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL, LONDON. It’s been featured in G&T before but we can’t miss an opportunity to hear Mahler 3. I find the solos in the 1st mmt quite nice to play but with all the tutti playing mixed in, it is a lot more of a blow than just the bits that are asked in auditions; it takes so much control to hang on to the final middle A after powering through all the previous material. I’m sure Byron will be superb though. The Philharmonia will be performing Mahler’s 3rd Symphony at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 3rd October at 3pm. BOURNEMOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, POOLE AND EXETER. Talking of strong themes, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet packs a tuneful punch taking us from high flying love themes and the innocence of youth to the depths of despair and heartache. This will be a warm up for the ears though before they play Shostakovich’s Symphony no.5. Check out the BSO at the Lighthouse in Poole on the 6th at 7.30pm and on the 7th December in the Great Hall, Exeter at 7.30pm. This concludes our little skip through the orchestral trombone world but there is bags more to see and hear out there. Thank you for reading.
Follow Matt by visiting www.matthewgee.info or on Twitter LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, @Geetrombone ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON. Follow Mark on Twitter Gurrelieder is a monumental work for @mbonetempleton large orchestra, choir and solo voices. BBC SCOTTISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, It is fantastic fun for trombones. ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON The section consists of bass trumpet, The BBC SSO come down to London alto, 3 tenors, bass and contra bass. with Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony, Schoenberg wrote the first two parts and Mahler’s Symphony No 10. before he moved on to atonalism and Follow BTS on Twitter: @britishtrombone andback Liketo uscomplete on Facebook to receive They arethe enjoyable to play, but far better came the third in the regular dates for your diary. to be on the other side of the stage, same style, so don’t be put off if Schoenberg MT MG especially with the atmosphere you get isn’t your thing. Saturday 19th August at 32