Maurice Wright / Concerto for Trombone, String Orchestra and Harp Although this concerto is extremely challenging in places, exploiting extremes of pitch and unusual leaps, I was less interested in making a showpiece than in writing for several contrasting voices of the instrument. The original title was Concertae Antiquae Novae, alluding to John Dowland’s Lacrimae Antiquae Novae. The idea of a concerto as an argument between opposing points of view—loud/soft, fast/slow, high/low, and dark/light—was very compelling to me. The concerto was commissioned by Karl Middleman and the Philadelphia Classical Symphony, who premiered it with soloist Nitzan Haroz. Diane Jones / Dreamcatcher A dreamcatcher weaves a web to trap any harm that tries to encroach upon our sleep. In "Dreamcatcher," the trombonist weaves that web in and around the orchestra, sifting through an ever-changing dream landscape. The solos that begin and end the piece complete the circle to hold the web. David Brown / Myrddin Part trombone concerto, part tone poem, Myrddin (“Merlin” in Arthurian lore) is an unpredictable, aggressive, and mystical characterization of its legendary Welsh namesake, and prominently features Welsh folk influence. The solitary brooding, dancing, conjuring, and lamenting of a prophetic sorcerer are described within 165 meter changes before descending into madness. David Leob - Eryx / Erice Eryx/Erice for trombone and octet was inspired by visiting an ancient Sicilian mountaintop town, inhabited in turn by Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Goths, Arabs, Normans, and Italians, with other brief occupations. All have left their imprints on the architecture. Almost instantaneous weather changes add to the romantic atmosphere. Carson Cooman / Remembering Tomorrow This concerto places the trombone into a variety of different musical contexts—sometimes with bleakness and sometimes with warmth. The trombone both leads the orchestra and reacts to it, as a sort of “first among equals.” The ending has a somewhat enigmatic character as it winds down to its conclusion—with an increase of silence. Robert Cuckson / Concertino for Trombone (2009) Over the past twenty years I have had the good fortune to write numerous works for Haim Avitsur, including the Sonata for Trombone and Piano, the Trombone Quintet, and the Concertino for Trombone recorded here. It was composed in 2009 and performed by Haim in 2010 in a version with string orchestra. Within its two movements, a slow and a fast, light and shade alternate, though a happy, even joyful mood predominates. Its lighthearted brightness led me to imagine this version with two pianos in which resonant support for the trombone contrasts with witty keyboard chatter. Eitan Avitsur / Grief Grief was originally written for trumpet and organ. In 1999, the composer wrote the version for trombone and organ that later was re-arranged for trombone and chamber ensemble and is dedicated to Haim Avitsur. The work expresses the impression of a tragic experience. It begins with quiet lament, followed by a stormy section which gradually develops in intensity and ends with a repetition of the opening theme, interwoven with a thread of hope. STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA «NOVAYA ROSSIYA» was founded in 1990 and Yury Bashmet assumed direction of the orchestra in 2002. Appearing with the orchestra have been such eminent musicians as Valery Gergiev, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Barry Douglas, Peter Donohoe, Boris Berezovsky, Viktor Tretiakov, Natalia Gutman, Emil Tabakov and Johannes Wildner. Novaya Rossia is a frequent guest at festivals in Russia and abroad, including the Moscow Easter Festival, the Alfred Schnittke Festival, the Besancon Festival, the Athens Festival, and the Festival of Russian Art in Essen, Germany. It has often toured abroad, notably to Finland, France, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Greece and Turkey. www.nros.ru/nros/eng/ Ovidiu Marinescu has conducted the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of the Romanian National Radio, Helena, Newark, and Southeastern Pennsylvania Symphony Orchestras, New Russia State Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica de Gaia in Portugal, Orquesta de Extremadura in Spain, and the Romanian orchestras in Bacau, Craiova, Ploiesti, Botosani, Targoviste, and Brasov. He served as the conductor for the West Chester University Symphony, the Wilmington Orchestra, the Immaculata Symphony, Manalapan Orchestra in New Jersey, and the Goppisberg Festival Orchestra in Switzerland. Marinescu has over 10 recorded albums, including the Tapestry East Ensemble and the Targu-Mures State Orchestra and Choir (Romania). www.marinescu.com Trombonist Haim Avitsur has premiered over 100 new pieces, encompassing a broad range of styles from solo trombone to chamber music and orchestra. Mr. Avitsur teaches at Hartt School and is on the faculty at Manhattan School of Music and the Aaron Copland School of Music, Queens College. Mr. Avitsur was the trombone professor at West Chester University of Pennsylvania and the University of Virginia, and served as the principal trombonist of the Charlottesville Symphony Orchestra. In 2005 he founded the Summer Trombone Workshop, now in residency at Manhattan School of Music in New York. www.HaimAvitsur.com For extended program notes and multimedia please visit: www.haimavitsur.com/neue-kraft-fuhlend.html