Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Sulek -Trombone Sonata

Cascading runs both ascending and descending create a mystical aesthetic as the trombone solo plays a long, smooth, beautiful melody that is very melodic. The phrase is repeated again with more urgency and chromatic notes. There is a brief transition period with a tritone interval. A new melody comes in that is in a different style. It is more layed back and relaxed. The trombone is playing short and long notes. It is a very simple rhythmic as the piano plays simple accompaniment. There is then some inverted counterpoint as the piano then takes the melody as the trombone plays the simple off-beat accompaniment. There is more transitional material as the trombone and piano play some unison melodic material. Another melody comes in that is very smooth and surreal almost. It is smooth, connected, and mostly traidic and diatonic. There is a brief transitional/developmental period between the trombone and solo as we travel through various keys with the trombone outlining sol-do. Rising quarter notes give the texture some harmonic growth and intensity. A new rhytmic motive is heard...almost hindemith like in unison with the piano. Then the main melody heard at the beginning is now in a triplet pattern and augmented. There is more developmental material as the trombone and piano trade off very technical 8th note runs. Then the lyrical melody comes in again but in a different key then modulated again. There is a quitness and developmental period as the music seems to be catching its breath. A final developmental section makes itself heard. The piano is playing long technical sixteenth and 32nd notes with the trombone is playing basically non-melodic triple tongue passages. A massive crescendo by the piano brings us back to the main melody played verbatim from the beginning. Towards the end of the phrase there are more chromatics and a different resolution. The piece ends on 3 very loud B flats in the trombone while the piano plays off-beat dissonant chords.

No comments: