Concertgebouw trombonist Jörgen van Rijen was the soloist.
I peg the concerto as a minimalist work for its extensive repetition of very small musical elements. The main theme is a half-step downward glissando. Although there are legato moments they do not amount to a compelling lyrical theme of substance.
The orchestra textures can be quite interesting. However, the trombone solo often seems like an arbitrary layer on top of that. There is virtuoso trombone playing but nothing that would surprise you if you've heard other trombone features. There are many Philip Glass-style arpeggios. Unlike a violin or keyboard, a trombone has to take a breath eventually so the effect is not as striking.
I sat in the fourth row and could see van Rijen clearly. He sounds very fine but seemed tired. As i mentioned in another thread here, he often taps his foot while he plays; no ill effect upon audience or ensemble ensued.
The audience ovated enthusiastically but i don't think anyone went home wishing they played the trombone or humming the theme. I predict this concerto will not displace any other work from the repertoire, not even a trombone concerto.
I wonder what its future will be after van Rijen concludes his engagements with it. Would anyone else take it up? I doubt any other trombonists are saying, "Damn, I've got to play that!" It's not the sort of thing that will work in a piano reduction such that it could be played on college recitals. One either does it with orchestra or not at all.
I think "not at all" will be its fate.
...
Guest artists will often sell and sign CDs in the lobby at intermission. I was disappointed van Rijen did not do that here.
...
Since the last I was at the symphony they have re-staged the orchestra into a more 19th Century arrangement with the 1st violins and 2nd violins on opposite sides of the conductor. This made made for moments of stereo dialog between the sections in the other two works on the program ( Rimsky-Lorsakov's "Capriccio Espagnol" and Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring"), moments we rarely perceive in modern seating plans.
...
As an aside, I've played "Capriccio Espagnol" previously in a community orchestra. The conductor, who was a former principal in the Dallas Symphony, made a very big deal of me not playing ff enough in an arpeggio figure that occurs in the finale, so i listened very intently when it came up last night.
Nope, I couldn't hear the big gun bass trombone of the Dallas Symphony play that thing either.
-
I was going to post scans of the program notes but nothing uploads here anymore.
-
