Hello world! I'm a UK-based professional trombonist, occasional DIY enthusiast and the biggest EVER fan of scotch eggs, stouts and porters: as a result of the latter I have to go cycling/running/swimming (in the sea - colder the better) quite a bit too!
Turning pro in 2000, I've been lucky enough to work in the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Cardiff (2001-2002), Philharmonia Orchestra, London (2002-2012) and now my young family and I are settled into the beautiful Peak District of central Britain, where I play bass and contrabass trombone with the Orchestra of Opera North, Leeds (2012-).
In between counting bars rest I also work as a freelancer, soloist, chamber musician and teacher (RNCM, Manchester) and am very keen to "do my bit" in helping to promote the trombone across all genres: I hope you enjoy these videos and thank you for visiting!
Hooters: Conn 62HI (with Neotech hand support), 2G Thein contra (with Ergobone support), CB2
I’m doing these excerpts for my college placement audition for orchestra and symphonic winds. The excerpts I’m playing are from rehearsal 51 to rehearsal 65.
Although the trombone is restricted to the fourth movement in this masterpiece, it sure makes its presence felt as a central part of this movement, adding to the solemnness. Amazing interpretation!
As a bass trombonist, I think this has disproven the statement of “bass trombone can’t be a solo instrument”. The pianist and you as the soloist are both incredibly talented and clearly have mastered the instrument of your choice. Outstanding playing sir! Love from a Swedish bass trombonist
The first part really sounds like a bunch of cars honking at each other in a busy city, which is what Bartok intended to represent! Amazing interpretation of the Trombone section.
Hi James: the first excerpt is taken from the often-overlooked second movement (which is definitely worth knowing before your first performance of this), with the remainder in the 4th...good luck in your masterclass and enjoy Beethoven's sublime writing!
Thank you for making these videos they really help me out! I am self teaching myself on the contrabass trombone. The first part really helps me understand all the natural notes in succession. Richard Wagner was a genius! I'm finding out my horn likes to burp out on pedal G. So I have to be careful When approaching that. My pedal F and E are spot on at least.
what version of this piece is this, because on my score i believe the 7th and 8th to last bar is different. I completely like whatever you played much better
Thanks for your message: I copy the notes from the tuba part, so here I play a dotted 8th (quaver) pedal F to a 16th (semiquaver) pedal Gb which isn't officially in the contra part...?
I have a King tenor trombone which I bought about 58 year ago; and a Bach Strad bass trombone which I bought 30 years ago. I'm too old to play but I listen to a lot of music nowadays Classic and Jazz. Great work maestro!
Thanks for your excellent playing. I'm a woodwind player but also a conductor and "low brass enthusiast", and I so enjoy both of these horns. Here, they sound more similar than I thought they would, but not much more. The contra sounds like what it is: a bigger horn; one more tiny step in the direction of a tuba, acoustically. But your bass playing sounds likewise so "large", that in a large space the clarity that the bass offers might be preferred. I have a feeling however, that what I'm missing, even with headphones, is the resonance. Just through headphones, the contra almost sounds like it has its own quiet tuba accompaniment; it's fun to imagine how huge this would be in person. Again, great playing; a real pleasure.
Thanks for your message Philip and I'm glad you enjoyed the video! It's so difficult to appreciate the differences of timbre in most musical situations, so it's been my pleasure to illustrate them directly in the same acoustic! Thanks again & I hope you enjoy the rest of the series too :)
I heard Otello live the Royal Opera House last July(2022), and I saw that ROH orchestra opted for the contrabass trombone for the 'Trombone Basso' part that is more often played on the tuba or cimbasso, and ditto for a live footage for the Verdi Requiem performed by another orchestra. Which makes me wonder if all the 'Trombone Basso' parts in Verdi(if not Puccini as well) can be played on contrabass trombone instead the 2 more commonly used instruments?
Oops! So sorry for this very late reply, but yes, the low brass for late Verdi operas should ideally be a team of four valve trombonists, or (more realistically these days) three slide trombones and a contrabass (by which we normally mean a bass trombone in F, as you would have seen the excellent Keith McNicholl playing in Otello). All Puccini operas work best with three slides and a contra too, in my opinion, though for various reasons the cimbasso (and occasionally tuba) are employed at the bottom end. In any case, this is an established excerpt (and potential graveyard!) for both the contra and cimbasso!
As a composer scoring with both instruments in mind, I am grateful for the existence of these videos. Thank you, sir for providing them. This showcases the differences in timbre between the two instruments.
@@ChristianJonesBasstrombone You’re welcome. I will. Right now, I’m composing an opera but exploring these instruments through solo pieces sounds fun. Let’s connect on Facebook.
@@ChristianJonesBasstrombone You’re welcome. I am composing an opera, so I don’t see myself composing a solo for instruments. However, I may do that as an experiment. What’s the best way to contact you?
Bravo performance Christian!! Really enjoy your sound on this piece and on your orchestral excerpts. Very inspirational playing. I aspire to sound like that!! Peace be with you Jonathan
