Sonata no. 3 in A minor (6 Cello Sonatas, Op. 1) B. Marcello (1686-1739) students.
students. Every year, the conservatory commissioned a new work, which would
Adagio (1’55”)
Allegro (3’20”)
Largo (1’30”)
Allegro (1’25”)
Benedetto Marcello, an Italian composer and writer
born in 1686, was never formally known as a
musician, as his main fields of study were literature
and law. However, his work had a tremendous
influence on Baroque music and performance
throughout the eighteenth century. Marcello’s most
widely performed works are undeniably his cello
sonatas. Since the trombone Baroque repertoire is
very limited, it is not uncommon to find that several
Baroque works for cello have been arranged or transcribed for trombone.
Baroque music is a uniquely-demanding style for brass instruments, in terms of
articulation, support and musicality, specifically because they were not intended
to perform it.
This third sonata from his 6 Cello Sonatas consists of four movements. The
adagio and largo movements are intended to be expressive and melancholic,
characterised by a constant intensity and dynamic contrasts. The faster allegro
movements are intended to be light and flowing. Although there is no evidence
that Marcello planned it, it is not uncommon to hear hemiola rhythms in the
fourth movement due to the melodic contour.
Morceau Symphonique, Op. 88 (6’20”) Guilmant (1837-1911)
Felix Alexandre Guilmant was a French organist and
composer. After starting his musical career in his
hometown of Meudon, he moved to Paris in 1871 to
become the organist at the Holy Trinity Church, position
which he then occupied for more than 30 years. During
that time, he became a world-known musician - he was
regarded as one of the finest organists of the nineteenth
century - and was a prolific composer. His most valuable
contributions were probably to the organ repertoire.
Around the 1900’s, the Paris conservatory aimed to
create an environment that was favourable for trombone
constitute an examination piece for the students. Morceau Symphonique was
written in this context in 1902.
The piece starts with a very lyrical section (Andante sostenuto), quasi cantabile,
with slow legato phrases. It ends with a cadenza, modulating to Bb major and
then to Eb flat major, leading into to the next section of the piece. This second
section consists of a lively, energetic melody, marked by four notable ascending
scales as well as ascending, crescendo chromatic passages This contributes to
a building tension, which is finally released at the end of the section (calmato).
The beginning of the third section is very similar to the beginning of the first
section, though in a different key, and rapidly builds up to the climax of the piece.
The contrasts in tempo, rhythms and articulation between the various sections of
the piece clearly illustrate Guilmant’s desire to showcase a broad range of the
technical and musical aspects of trombone playing. He alternates conjunct and
disjunct passages, marcato and legato articulation, chromatic and diatonic
phrases, and time signatures (common time in the Andante sostenuto sections,
and triple meter in the Allegro moderato sections). Guilmant also explores the
extremes of the trombone range, with a pedal Bb at the end of the cadenza and
a high C# in the third section.
Today, Guildmant’s work has stood the test of time and transcended its original
purpose of a student work to become a cornerstone in the trombone repertoire.
- INTERVAL (5 MINUTES) -
Concertino in E♭ for Trombone, Op. 4 David (1810-1873)
I - Allegro maestoso (5’50”)
II - Marcia funebre: Andante (4’30”)
III - Allegro maestoso (5’10”)
Born in Hamburg in 1810, Ferdinand David was a German virtuoso violinist. He
became concertmaster of the Gewandhaus orchestra in Leipzig in 1835 and
developed a strong friendship with Mendelssohn, who conducted the orchestra
at the time. David was a prolific composer, and his compositions number around
50 opuses, including 5 violin concertos, a number of Lieder, and several
‘Concertinos’ for various instruments.
His Trombone Concertino Op. 4 is his most played composition today and is one
of the reference works in the classical trombone repertoire. The concerto,
composed in 1837, was dedicated to a virtuoso trombonist, Karl Quessier.
Quessier had originally asked Mendelssohn to write a work for him, but
Mendelssohn did not have the time to compose it and recommended that David
compose it instead.

The Concertino consists of 3 movements: Allegro maestoso, Marcia funebre,

and Allegro maestoso. The first movement, with the solo part starting on a
resonant E♭, is bright and lively, and uses a variety of rhythms involving dotted
notes and triplets, a combination of disjunct (arpeggio) and conjunct (scale)
passages as well as a wide range of dynamics in order to create very contrasted
moods within the movement. The movement ends with a cadenza-like passage
(as indicated by the markings: ad lib: quasi Recitativo). The second movement
is a funeral march and is therefore played at a slow Andante tempo. The
melodious legato passages convey
This movement explores the most extreme ranges of the instrument, with
sudden large intervals.

The third movement is a recapitulation of the first movement. Starting once again
on a bright E♭, the