Thank you, David Dunham, for mastering my piano tracks. I appreciate this help very much.
Listen to David's beautiful music here: @david-dunhamuser589535203

Saying Farewell

My Big Band arrangement of the Eddie Harris classic "Freedom Jazz Dance". Performed by The McGill Univ. Big Band - Live And In Concert

Freedom Jazz Dance

Freedom Jazz Dance - Slide Hampton™ And The McGill Univ Big Band

Ferdinand David (19 June 1810 – 18 July 1873) was a German virtuoso violinist and composer. David's own compositions number about 50 opuses. They include 12 "theme and variations" pieces for violin and Orchestra, five violin concertos, a string sextet, "Concertinos" for Violin, Bassoon, Clarinet & Trombone and Orchestra, and a number of Lieder. Supposedly he also wrote two symphonies and an opera (Hans Wacht, 1852). Unfortunately, these have not been verified to have been preserved. David's most played piece today is without a doubt his Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra (Op.4). This piece is very often used as the obligatory piece for trombonists auditioning for symphony-orchestras around the world.

Ferdinand David's Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra, Op. 4, was composed in 1837. It was dedicated to Karl Traugott Queisser, who was a good friend of David, and also played in the Gewandhaus Orchestra, where David was concertmeister. There are many myths about how this concertino came about, but one of the most probable versions are that David rewrote one of his already mostly finished violin-pieces into this trombone concertino. Queisser initially asked Felix Mendelssohn to write him a Trombone Concerto, but as he did not have the time for it, David might have suggested Mendelssohn to use his composition for this purpose. (If one compares the composition to David's surrounding works (e.g. Op. 3 & 5) there are clearly some parts that are much better composed than otherwise, which leads to a suggestion that Mendelssohn might have "looked it over"). The piece was premiered at the Gewandhaus with Queisser playing the solo part and Mendelssohn conducting.[1] It was an immediate success.

It consists of 3 movements:

I. Allegro maestoso
II. Marcia funebre (Andante)
III. Allegro maestoso.
The second movement was arranged for Violin and Piano by David and was played at his own funeral.[1]

This score is written for the following instruments:

Solo Trombone, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 2 Trumpets in Eb, 3 Trombones, Timpani, and Strings[2]

The piece has been recorded by Michael Ostrander, Carl Lenthe, Christian Lindberg, among others. A performance of the concerto usually lasts around 16-17 minutes.

Information courtesy of wikipedia.org.

Concertino for Trombone and Orchestra, Ferdinand David Op. 4 III. Allegro maestoso 2nd recording

Ryan Martlet

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