Trombone & Jazz Influences With The New York Philharmonic

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Parent Category: Film and the Arts

Category: Reviews

Published on Wednesday, 31 May 2023 14:23

Written by Jack Angstreich

Marin Alsop conducts the New York Philharmonic with Joseph Alessi on trombone. Photo by Chris Lee

At David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, on Saturday evening, May 27th, I had the privilege to attend an excellent concert featuring the New York Philharmonic, under the outstanding direction of guest conductor Marin Alsop.

The program began very promisingly with a marvelous account of Samuel Barber’s striking, too seldom heard Symphony No. 1 (in One Movement) which, if not quite of the artistic stature of such extraordinary and celebrated works as his Violin Concerto, Adagio for Strings, or Knoxville: Summer of 1915, nonetheless proved rewarding. The composer’s program note for the New York premiere—performed by this ensemble in 1937—is worth quoting:

The form of my Symphony in One Movement is a synthetic treatment of the four-movement classical symphony. It is based on three themes of the initial Allegro non troppo, which retain throughout the work their fundamental character. The Allegro opens with the usual exposition of a main theme, a more lyrical second theme, and a closing theme. After a brief development of the three themes, instead of the customary recapitulation, the first theme, in diminution, forms the basis of ascherzosection(Vivace).The second theme (oboe over muted strings) then appears in augmentation, in an extendedAndante tranquillo.An intense crescendo introduces the finale, which is a shortpassacagliabased on the first theme (introduced by the violoncelli and contrabassi), over which, together with figures from other themes, the closing theme is woven, thus serving as a recapitulation for the entire symphony.

The impressive Joseph Alessi, the principal trombonist for the Philharmonic, then entered the stage as soloist for the admirably performed US premiere of the enjoyable Trombone Concerto by the late, renowned jazz pianist and composer, Chick Corea, orchestrated by John Dickson. Alessi, who originally had asked Corea to write the concerto which was co-commissioned by this ensemble with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the Nashville Symphony, and the Orquestra sinfônica do estado de São Paulo, provided the following summary:

The composition begins with a substantial introduction titled A Stroll Opening that includes free improvisation for the trombone followed by an interplay with harp, percussion, and piano. After the dialogue,A Strollbegins, inspired by Chick’s time living in New York City, walking uptown and downtown while taking in the sights and sounds of the Big Apple.

The second movement is titled Waltse for Joe. Chick was keen on exploring the very lyrical side of the trombone, and this part was composed to do just that. Beginning with an extended, beautiful string interlude, thiswaltseis reminiscent of the music of Erik Satie.

Hysteria was composed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this title was chosen to stress the chaos enveloping the world. The music is menacingly chromatic, apropos of the movement’s title, but it is at the same time lighthearted. The movement finishes with a harp and percussion vamp overlaid with an improvised trombone solo.

The fourth movement, Joe’s Tango, starts boldly with a strings-and-percussion vamp over a solo that is both agreeable and contrary, and then a cadenza that Chick composed. The melody then becomes very lyrical, riding on a vamp with a Latin flavor. The tempo slows and eventually ceases entirely. Finally, a new, faster vamp creates a flourish of activity to finish the concerto. The first version of Joe’s Tango ended peacefully, similar to the previous movements. I had to summon the courage to ask Chick if he might consider rewriting the ending. After I explained to him that his composition suggested to me the idea of two strangers, reluctant to really engage, dancing an increasingly impassioned tango and finally surrendering in the embrace of one another, Chick agreed and created a bold ending.

In the opening movement, one at times can detect the influence of Aaron Copland. The second movement is brief but not without enchantments while the third is also charming, and thefinaleis especially inventive. Enthusiastic applause elicited a wonderful encore played by the trombonist with Dickson—who also composed it—at the piano: Danza Eterna.

It was the second half of the event, however, that was especially memorable: a sterling realization of a selection—by Alsop—from Sergei Prokofiev’s three Suites drawn from his glorious score for the ballet, Romeo and Juliet, some of the greatest music ever composed in this genre.

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