Colors

Bert Appermont

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Subtitle: For Trombone

General Info

Year: 1998
Duration: c. 15:40
Difficulty: V (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: De Haske
Cost: Score and Parts - $250.00

Movements (played without pause)

1. Yellow
2. Red
3. Blue
4. Green

Instrumentation

(Needed - please join the WRP if you can help.)

Errata

None discovered thus far.

Program Notes

This work was written especially for the Belgian trombonist Ben Haemhouts and was created on Dec. 29, 1998, in Ravels.

The starting point of Colors is bipartite. On the one hand I wanted to create a solo piece based upon the colors yellow, blue, red and green. I wanted to express the characteristics, associations and emotions related to these colors in a subtle manner. This way, every movement was named after a color:

1) Yellow: inspiring and stimulating, (also: wisdom and light)
2) Red: dynamic, passionate developing into dramatic, furious and fighting (also: courage and will-power)
3) Blue: melancholic, dreamy and introvert (also: truth and peace)
4) Green: hopeful and full of expectation (also: balanced power and harmony)

A second important source of inspiration was the death of an uncle who was a trombone player in his free time. The heavy struggle that this man went through at the end of his life might be symbolized in the second movement of the concerto, which sounds like a battle at the end of this movement.

The unity in the piece is reached by the use of a three tone motif (c-d-g) which constantly returns in various ways throughout the composition and which is the basis of every important theme.

Finally, I tried to use the coloristic pallet of the trombone in the best possible way, making use of the complete range of the instrument and the different timbres of the instrument.

- Program Note by composer

Media

Audio: Reference recording. Ensemble and conductor unknown

State Ratings

None discovered thus far.

Performances

To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project

Millikin University (Decatur, Ill.) Symphonic Wind Ensemble, (Gary R. Shaw, conductor; Peter Steiner, trombone) – 16 November 2018
University of Nebraska Kearney Wind Ensemble (Duane Bierman, conductor; Paul Niedbalski, trombone) – 29 September 2018
United States Military Academy Band (West Point N.Y.) (Phil Stehly, trombone) – 12 January 2018
Ouachita Baptist University (Arkadelphia, Ark.) Wind Ensemble (Craig V. Hamilton, conductor; Jason Potts, trombone) – 7 March 2017
University of Florida (Gainesville) Wind Symphony (David Waybright, conductor; Charles Vernon, trombone) – 31 March 2016
Bob Jones University (Greenville, S.C.) Symphonic Wind Band (Dan Turner, conductor; Matthew Vaughn, trombone) – 12 February 2016
United States Air Force Band (David Waybright, conductor; Joseph Alessi, trombone) - 7 March 2014 (ABA 2014 Annual Convention (Montgomery, Alabama))
University of South Carolina (Columbia) Wind Ensemble (Paul W. Popiel, conductor; Brad Edwards, trombone) - 6 March 2014 (ABA 2014 Annual Convention (Montgomery, Alabama))
Orquestra de Sopros de Leiria (Portugal) (Luis Casalinho, conductor; Mario Teixeira, trombone) - 2012

Works for Winds by This Composer

Resources

Appermont, B. (1999). Colors: For Trombone [score]. Beriato Music: Kontich, Belgium.
Bert Appermont website