Concerto for Trombone (Bryant)

From Wind Repertory Project
Steven Bryant

Steven Bryant


Subtitle: And Orchestral Winds and Percussion


General Info

Year: 2016
Duration: c. 23:00
Difficulty: VI (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Steven Bryant
Cost: Score and Parts – Rental ($495)   |   Score Only (digital) - $90.00


Movements (played without pause)

1. Pungent and Intense - 5:45
2. Meditative - 9:55
3. Lively - 5:45


Instrumentation

Full Score
Solo Trombone
Flute I-II-III
Oboe I-II
Bassoon I-II
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
E-flat Horn or Alto I-II-III-IV
Horn in F I-II-III-IV
Trombone I-II-III
Tuba
Piano (possible)
Harp (possible)
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III

  • Bass Drum
  • Crotales
  • Glockenspiel
  • Marimba
  • Sandblocks
  • Suspended Cymbal
  • Vibraphone
  • Xylophone


Errata

None discovered thus far.


Program Notes

Commissioned for Joseph Alessi by a consortium of ensembles led by Jerry Junkin of the Dallas Winds, and the University of Texas at Austin.

The first inkling of an idea to write a concerto for Joe Alessi came when we shared a program at the University of Miami in November 2011. He was performing John Mackey’s concerto, Harvest, with Gary Green and the Frost Wind Ensemble, and my own Concerto for Wind Ensemble followed on the same program. Joe very generously came out to sit in the audience after his performance to hear my work, and the following year at the Midwest Clinic in Chicago, we finally had a chance to sit down for coffee, and with the support of Jerry Junkin, put this project into motion.

In creating music specifically for Joseph Alessi, I was drawn to his expressive, unbelievably beautiful tone on the instrument, as well as his ability to flatten everything in his path without sacrificing that beauty. In movement I, I sought to “hide” his tone by having him play much of the time muted, and making the music pungent, nasal, and somewhat irritating at times, in order to heighten the open, melodic unveiling in the second movement. The final movement harnesses his power to create a state of euphoria.

Unlike most of my other music, I initially created a long (for me) melody instead of a short motive as the basis of all three movements of the work, and drew motivic material from that as needed. Despite my original intention, the full, uninterrupted melody never makes an appearance in the piece. Also of note is that a particular four-note chord from movement IV of Webern’s Six Pieces for Orchestra informs the work. I quoted this same work of Webern in my Concerto for Wind Ensemble, the work Joe first heard in Miami which sparked his interest in my music, so it serves as a subtle connecting thread between these two events. The music is absolute -- there is no program or story line apart from the inherent drama of the soloist dancing around (and often above!) the ensemble in the Concerto’s traditional fast-slow-fast movement structure.   - Program Note by composer


Media


State Ratings

None discovered thus far.


Performances

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Works for Winds by This Composer

Adaptable Music


All Wind Works


Resources