Cinética de la descarboxilación de ácido vainíllico

“Newbury Spring Festival 11th May 2013

Trombone Concerto by Edward Gregson (2013 new version) (1979 originally) with Black Dyke Band (First performance in version for soloist and brass band)

The new composition:

This is a newly orchestrated version of the trombone concerto (1979) in a setting for soloist with brass band

Black Dyke Band

Once again Brett Baker is fortunate to have the Black Dyke Band for his backing and he uses the platform that they give him to great effect, enjoying their ‘cushioning’ support whilst projecting the solo line well (more discussion of this follows below).

PhD in Performance

As in my assessment of Brett Baker’s performance at the Royal Northern College of Music (first performance of Peter Graham’s Radio City) I decided to assess this performance on a purely professional level. I therefore make no allowances for the fact that the soloist is actually a student, holding, as he does, a principal seat in what may well be the world’s most famous brass band.

The Concerto is arranged in four movements - lento e molto tranquillo

- allegro giusto - andante e cantabile - allegro

As with the performance of Radio City in Manchester it is worth pointing out that the soloist needs a very high level of ‘fitness’ as well as technical ability to tackle this concerto. By ‘fitness’ here I mean the strength and stamina to play the piece from beginning to end. Just as a marathon runner needs to go into special training for the

big event, so too does a brass player, and the stamina required to get through a concerto as demanding as this is an issue frequently (usually) overlooked by the non- specialist listener. This concerto covers a range virtually of 4 octaves from pedal F# to top E - both exceedingly low and high for a tenor instrument - and demands a great deal of flexibility and stamina from the performer.

The Performance

Again, as with Radio City in Manchester, it should be noted that, in keeping with brass band tradition, the soloist in this concerto was obliged to play the entire (very demanding) evening’s programme in addition to the concerto itself. As conductor Dr Robert Childs rightly pointed out in his verbal introduction, were this to have been a performance in the version for symphony orchestra, Brett Baker would have had the ‘luxury’ of concentrating exclusively on the concerto with no need to worry about the remainder of the programme.

This concerto is clearly well written for the instrument; whilst taking the performer to the extremes of range, velocity and dynamics the soloist’s lines appear to be, for the most part, well placed under the trombone slide. Brett Baker took the above- mentioned extremes (range from high to low; tempi from very fast to rather slow; dynamics from powerful and strident to soft and mellifluous) well in his stride as he characterised the movements of the concerto individually to good effect.

Two thoughts of mine may be a little controversial - and I am happy to stand corrected if these are inappropriate or even misguided: the first looks to build on the word (above) “mellifluous” and the second (also above) on balance and projection... First I did wonder whether Brett Baker could be more vocal in his approach to some of the passages. For example the section that begins at bar 238 where a steady, lilting, one in a bar gives the opportunity for true vocal phrasing, a song without words. Although perfectly adequately played with absolute accuracy and good phrasing, I did not feel that Brett was truly ‘singing’ through the instrument at this stage of the performance, perhaps more (if I may be so bold) marking time through a section that is technically straightforward and undemanding. To me there is no sound in the world like that of a brass instrument being played vocally and I did think that this was an expressive opportunity overlooked.

Second, the trombone is a directional instrument. Brett is tall and he plays with the music stand at a low setting relative to his height. His default gait whilst playing therefore is somewhat stooped with the bell of the trombone pointing down at circa 45 degrees. He also plays quite markedly across the front of the audience rather than directly out towards it in his desire to retain good contact with the conductor. This is a pity because, although (as said above) balance with the Black Dyke was good, projection was not always of such a high standard. (I differentiate here between ‘balance’ with the backing group and ‘projection’ of the solo line). I would like to see him change his default manner of delivery by turning out towards the audience (sacrificing some contact with the conductor along the way) and by lifting the bell closer to 80 degrees. In my opinion these adjustments (and they are not easy to achieve either physically or psychologically) would make a big difference to Brett’s performances.

Conclusion:

Brett Baker’s Doctorate in performance makes available a portfolio of excellent new material to the advanced trombone player and it is, I suggest, to be applauded for that alone. The Gregson Trombone Concerto, in this new version for brass band, is a good example of this and I hope that it will become popular with high-level brass bands and their audiences. This was an excellent and most enjoyable performance.”

Project 3B:

Premiere of Peter Graham’s Commission Radio City