Thomas and the trombone

Synopsis

In the world of pop music, it’s not uncommon for a new song to be recorded in the studio before it’s actually performed in public. In the world of concert music, this sometimes happens as well.

The Swedish trombone virtuoso Christian Lindberg was planning a compact disc of American trombone concertos, but he needed a piece to fill out his disc. While in Las Vegas, Lindberg heard the premiere of a new orchestral work by the American composer Augusta Read Thomas, and was very impressed. “I asked if by chance she’d written a trombone concerto,” recalled Lindberg, “or if she had any suggestions for a suitable piece for the CD.” Thomas, for her part, was equally impressed by Lindberg’s playing. “I’ll write you a piece!” was the reply, and the result, a trombone concerto entitled “Meditation” was finished in the fall of 1995.

The first performance of “Meditation” took place during Lindberg’s recording sessions in Wales with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and conductor Grant Llewellyn. Those sessions were wrapped up on today’s date in 1995, and the compact disc released the following year.

Writing about her music, Thomas states, “I am not concerned with commercial success; rather I am concerned with speaking honestly, which will hopefully (not necessarily) lead me towards truth. Meditation is dedicated to Christian Lindberg, with admiration for his beautiful playing.”

Music Played in Today's Program

Augusta Read Thomas (b. 1964) Meditation Christian Lindberg, trombone; BBC National Orchestra of Wales; Grant Llewellyn, cond. BIS 788

On This Day

Births

• 1657 - French composer Michel-Richard de Lalande, in Paris;

Deaths

• 1792 - German-born Swedish composer Joseph Martin Kraus, age 36, in Stockholm;

Premieres

• 1807 - Spontini: opera, "La Vestale," at the Paris Opéra;

• 1893 - Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 ("From the New World") by the New York Philharmonic, Anton Seidl conducting, at a public rehearsal at Carnegie Hall, attended by the composers' children, among other members of the general public (the "official " premiere took place the following evening);

• 1900 - Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2, Op. 18 (second and third movements only), in Moscow, with Ziloti conducting and the composer as soloist (Julian date: Dec. 2); The first complete performance of this concerto, with the same conductor and soloist, occurred in Moscow on 27 October (Julian)/November 9 (Gregorian)in 1901;

• 1901 - Rachmaninoff: Cello Sonata, Op. 19, in Moscow, by cellist Anatoly Brandukov, with the composer at the piano (Julian date: Dec. 2);

• 1910 - Reger: Piano Concerto in f, Op. 114, by the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra conducted by Arthur Nikisch, with Frieda Kwast-Hodapp as soloist;

• 1916 - American premiere of Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde," with vocal soloists Tilly Koenen and Johannes Sembach, with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Leopold Stokowski conducting;

• 1934 - Jean Françaix: Piano Concertino, in Paris, at a Lamoureux concert, with the composer as soloist;

• 1938 - Bloch: Violin Concerto, in Cleveland, Joseph Szigeti, violin and the Cleveland Orchestra, Dimitri Mitropoulos conducting;

• 1938 - Revueltas: "Sensemayá," in Mexico City;

• 1940 - Schoenberg: Chamber Symphony No. 2, in New York City;

• 1986 - Bernstein: "Opening Prayer" for Baritone and Orchestra, at Carnegie Hall by the New York Philharmonic conducted by the composer, with Kurt Ollmann as the vocal soloist;

• 2000 - John Adams: oratorio "El Niño," at Le Châtelet in Paris, by soloists Dawn Upshaw, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and Willard White, with the Theatre of Voices and the Deutsches Symphonie conducted by Kent Nagano; The American premiere of this work occurred in San Francisco on January 11, 2001;