Concerto for Bass Trombone (2007)
The Version for Bass Trombone and Band may be found here.
The composer writes -
As a working tuba player, I have spent a substantial portion of my life sitting next to bass trombonists, and I have always admired the skill and dedication of those who devote such attention and marvelous artistry to an instrument that is, quite frankly, even more of an unknown to the general public than the tuba. I had been thinking about the need for another concerto for this instrument and mentioned my interest in composing a piece to Blair Bollinger, noted bass trombonist with the Philadelphia Orchestra. He, to my delight, offered to play the piece at the upcoming US Army Trombone Workshop if I could complete it in time. It was done three intensive months later and premiered by Mr. Bollinger with Major James Keene conducting the US Army Orchestra. A little later, a version with wind ensemble accompaniment was created, which was premiered with Mr. Bollinger and the Temple University Wind Symphony, conducted by Dr. Emily Threinen. Those performing forces recorded the work for BCM&D Records. The Concerto is in three movements, and unlike many of my pieces, it is pure music with no visual or narrative content. The upbeat first movement, with its propulsive mallet percussion, originated in a summer moment when two cars, windows open and radios blaring, passed each other, one playing a violin concerto, the other something Latin with lots of marimbas. Most of the ideas for the expansive second movement came during long walks with a dear friend and her dog in a local nature preserve. For the third movement, I was thinking of the juggler’s routine where they keep different sizes of plates rotating on top of sticks. In this case, lots of different rhythmic divisions of “three” over music which is predominantly in “two”. There is a lyrical melody as well, which I think of as the “smell the roses” theme; that no matter how much spectacular technique we muster, one of our main goals is to produce beauty. The Concerto is dedicated to Blair Bollinger, and is, by extension, a fan letter to bass trombonists everywhere.
-Jay Krush
This work is rental only. Please contact us here for information on renting this work. In your request, please include:
- Ensemble Name
- When you wish to receive the music
- Performance Dates and Venues
- If there are any planned recordings or broadcasts
Rental includes 1 Tabloid Score and 1 copy of each part unless otherwise noted in parenthesis (x). Where there is a dash in the part names below, those are individual parts per player. Where there is an ampersand, multiple players are shown on the same part.
Instrumentation:
- Solo Bass Trombone
- Flute 1-2/piccolo
- Oboes 1-2
- Clarinets 1-2
- Bassoons 1-2
- Trumpets in B flat1-2
- Horn 1-2
- Trombones 1-2
- Timpani
- Percussion 1-3 - Snare Drum, Large and Medium Suspended Cymbals, Bass Drum, Tam-tam, Bongos, Tom-toms, Marimba, Orchestra Bells, Xylophone
- Violin 1
- Violin 2
- Viola
- Cello
- String Bass
YouTube link is Mvmt I. Brisk and Flowing - Temple University Wind Symphony with Blair Bollinger
