David Bremner - NZSO Principal Trombone

Gung-Ho: Virtuoso Works For Trombone (Atoll ACD 109)

David Bremner, trombone
with:

• New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (conductor: James Judd)
• 2008 National Band Of New Zealand (conductor: Howard Taylor)
• Sarah Watkins, piano
• Leonard Sakofsky, percussion

CD + Shipping options

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Reviews:

New Zealand Herald - review by William Dart.

Track Listing:

1. Paul Creston - Fantasy for Trombone (with piano accompaniment)* (12' 32'')
2. Franz Strauss - Nocturno* (6' 44'')
3. J Guy Ropartz - Pièce in E flat minor* (7' 23'')
4. Anthony Ritchie - Clouds. 2008 National Band of New Zealand; Howard Taylor, conductor; recorded November 2008. (9' 11'')
5. Kenneth Young - Panic (3' 57'')
6. 3 Leider, transcribed and edited by Mark Lawrence. I. Richard Strauss - Allerseelen* (3' 33'')
7. - II. Johannes Brahms - Von ewiger Liebe (Of Eternal Love)* (4' 48'')
8. - III. Richard Strauss - Das Rosenband (3' 30'')*
9. Chris Gendall - Gung-Ho. Sarah Watkins, piano; Leonard Sakofsky, percussion. (9' 08'')
10. Gareth Farr - Funambulistic Strains. New Zealand Symphony Orchestra; James Judd, conductor; recorded August 2007. (9' 32'')

* with Sarah Watkins, piano.

Paul Creston's Fantasy is one of my favourite pieces, and it was one of the first pieces I chose for this CD. I love it as a recital work with piano, even though most pianists are not fans. Nocturno by Franz Strauss is one of the most beautiful pieces I have ever heard, and one of those extremely rewarding pieces to perform. Like the Creston, J G Ropartz's Pièce in E flat minor is a wonderful recital work, and a very enjoyable work with many challenges. I commissioned Ken Young to write Panic for the CD. The idea I had was for a short intense work pushing the limits of the trombone, and Ken was happy to oblige. Clouds was a commission from the National Band of New Zealand for our tour to Asia and Europe. The work received many performances around Europe, and was the featured solo work in the bands programme at the World Championships in Kerkrade, Netherlands. The world premiere was actually given in Essen, Germany. The band had already been in Europe for a week, and I had to leave late from NZ. I finished a recording session in Wellington and jumped on the plane to London and then the connecting flight to Cologne, where I caught a long taxi ride to the hall in Essen. I arrived in time to have a shower at the hall and then straight on stage, was a fun night.

The three lieder by Strauss and Brahms are beautifully arranged by Mark Lawrence. Both my teachers have stressed to me the importance of listening to singers, and so it was natural to include a couple of vocal pieces on this CD. Gung-Ho by Chris Gendall was a commission for this CD. Chris is currently studying composition in New York, and has a huge career ahead of him, so I was really pleased he agreed to write 'Gung-Ho' for the CD.

Gareth Farr wrote Funambulistic Strains in a series of commissions the NZSO made to pair up their principal players with New Zealand composers. I was lucky enough to have Gareth write this work for trombone and orchestra, and we premiered it in Christchurch on the 26th of July 2006. A funambulist is an acrobat who performs on a tight rope, and performing this piece feels much like this.