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Concerto for Trumpet
(2003)
Premiere
November 30, 2003
Cambridge, MA
Jeffrey Work, trumpet, with the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston
conducted by Isaiah Jackson
Click here to read reviews of
the
Premiere.
Instrumentation
1222, 2100, Timp, Strgs, Solo Trpt
Duration
22:12
Program Notes
The two-movement piece opens almost ominously, and in no
definitive key, with a
solo bassoon stating a two note figure, F-D. (Those looking for a
composed reference to the soloist may find it here, though it requires
a stretch: F-D, if changed somewhat using solfege syllables, could be
pronounced F-Re, almost sounding like “Jeffrey”.) This F-D figure is
repeated and developed throughout the entire piece, though probably
more evident to the score-studying student than to the first-time
listener.
In this
opening Adagio, the soloist enters plaintively on top of an
established ostinato, almost searching for a home key. The soloist ends
this opening trying to rise up triumphantly in the key of E-flat, only
to get dissolved into a vague state once again, as the music is then
transported into the scherzo-esque main body of the first movement.
Again the solo trumpet tries to establish the main key of E-flat only
to land on the non-diatonic raised 4th degree, or A natural.
The orchestra
and soloist trade capricious phrases, finally culminating in a grand
re-statement of the main theme, this time in B-flat, or what would seem
to be the dominant of E-flat. The music again takes a quick turn, and
the orchestra lands on a pedal F-sharp, whereupon the soloist begins
winding through various forms of music already heard. This Cadenza-like
material returns us back to E-flat, but only briefly, as we are quickly
transported to a frenzied jazz-like section, forecasting music to be
heard in the second movement. A grandiose section follows,
incorporating the F-D motif one more time, and the movement ends almost
as mysteriously as it started, but decidedly in A Major. This
resolution in A Major, though perhaps a surprise, explains the use of
the raised 4th degree explored extensively while in E-flat
major.
The second
movement is written to display what almost every audience member is
seeking when first hearing a concerto: technical virtuosity. Knowing
the technical and musical abilities of Mr. Work, as well as his love
for the cornet solos of the early 20th century, the movement
is composed to highlight what is available to the modern trumpet,
though often not exposed. After a few minutes of pure energy, the music
finally relaxes, drawing upon various motifs already heard. Again
the piece builds up to a climax in the dominant key of E Major, only to
settle again to a false coda. A demanding cadenza follows, highlighting
some musical effects written especially for the dedicatee. Now
beginning the true coda, the virtuosic music returns, and many motifs
are again tossed into the mix to bring us to our denouement, again
decidedly in our true home key of A Major.
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