Bradley W Edwards
School of Music
bedwards@mozart.sc.edu
Creative and Performing Arts Grant
A Compact Disc Recording and Commissioning Project of Concert Duets for
Trombone and Other Instruments ($10,225)
Summary Statement
This grant provided funding for the commissions of two new works featuring
trombone paired with another instrument. It also provided funding for the creation
of a professional compact disc recording featuring these new works along with
three other concert duets. At this time, all of my work with the project is completed.
Two wonderful new pieces have been composed, premiered and recorded. The
record label, MSR Classics, has informed me that the CD is in production and that I
can expect to take delivery by the end of the month. This CD will be available
through all standard channels including iTunes, Albany Records, the Google Music
Store, CD Baby, Amazon as well as through well-respected catalog music stores such
as Hickeys Music Center in Ithaca New York.
Details
The first step in the project was to collaborate with the two composers
whose works I would be commissioning. One composer, Gordon “Dick” Goodwin, is
local. This allowed me to work closely with him, suggesting changes to the work as
he completed it. I even suggested the title, Footprints, as well as a re-ordering of the
movements. The final product is a seven-movement work lasting roughly 13 ½
minutes. The piece, for trumpet and trombone, has already been performed several
times with my trumpet colleague, James Ackley. The movements of this lighthearted work are:
1. Drunken Sailor
2. Just a Simple Sashay
3. Left Foot Jitterbug
4. Soft Shoe
5. In the Sand
6. Lock Step
7. Tarantella
I would like to submit this piece for publication consideration by the
International Trombone Association Press, distributed through Warwick Music in
England.
The other composer, Inez McComas, is based in Florida. She wrote a Latininfluenced duet for trombone and alto saxophone entitled Descending into Light. In
my work with her, it was necessary to help re-write some of the more virtuosic
passages so as to be technically feasible for trombone. Sections of the piece went
through four or five revisions before settling into their final form. The three
movement work lasts just over 12 minutes. The movement titles form a poem of
sorts, reflecting on the experience of flying at night. The composer supplied the
following notes:
Airplane travel is a common occurrence in our culture. One of the most
astonishingly beautiful sights is the view of the earth at night. From above, the
lights from the cities shimmer, and especially as the plane comes close to
landing, the trees and buildings filter this light, causing it to twinkle.
Descending into Light expresses this fleeting moment in three movements. The
first flies by with a light melody and quick runs that push the boundaries of both
the alto saxophone and the trombone. In stark contrast, movement two begins
with a mostly blank canvas. Before long, a twinkle disturbs, grows, and bursts
forth until the amount becomes overwhelming. The last movement is an
occasion of reflection created by simple melodies that have their shapes
delicately transformed.
The final twist to this piece is the names of the movements. Taking cues from
Dutch master painters, the titles are exquisitely long. When combined, they form
a poem that aims to capture the moment as well.
The movement titles are:
I. As I fly above the ground at night
II. My eyes see lights upon the ground. As I move closer they twinkle for me..
III. Such a beautiful reverse.
I’m happy to report that four of the five pieces on this CD are premiere
recordings. In addition to the two aforementioned works, I recorded Impulsions for
trombone and marimba. This five-minute work was composed specifically for me
and my colleague Scott Herring. The other work differed from my initial proposal. I
had originally proposed recording a duo for horn and trombone by Verne Reynolds.
However, Dr Reynolds had passed away and the publishing house for this piece was
no longer in business. After some sleuthing, I was unable to find anyone to contact
in order to obtain a letter of permission to record his work. I very much wanted to
record a work with French horn given that the hornist in question was my wife. My
solution was to compose a new 16 ½ minute work, Five American Folk Song
Sketches, which we have now performed several times. This piece will also be
performed at this Fall’s Cornelia Freeman September Concert series at the school of
music. I am currently self-publishing this piece and have received orders for it from
as far away as the Czech Republic.
The fifth piece on the CD, Tres Psalmi Davidis, is for trombone and soprano by
Karl Kroeger. It was my pleasure to perform and record this work with my
colleague Tina Milhorn Stallard. The only known recording of this work is a predigital 1984 recording by my former teacher, Ronald Borror. Dr. Kroeger is eager to
hear our efforts.
The recording sessions took place in 2012 on the following dates: January 7th
(Impulsions), June 6th (Tres Psalmi Davidis), July 5th-6th (Footprints), August 21st 22nd (Folk Song Sketches), and December 20th (Descending into Light).