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  • Jones: Welcome to the trombone master class

  • for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra.

  • My name's Katie Jones,

  • and I'm the co-principal trombone

  • of the London Symphony Orchestra.

  • The first excerpt we're going to talk about today

  • is Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries,"

  • taken from his opera "Die Walkure."

  • This has been set for auditions for me personally,

  • from school age right through to my professional career.

  • He's one of the earlier composers to use the trombone

  • in a melodic context

  • and not just in a scared or choral fashion.

  • Here are some thoughts on how to approach the excerpt.

  • Listen to a few recordings if possible.

  • Work out how the trombone

  • fits into the overall orchestration.

  • The strings have a lot of running semiquaver passages

  • during this music,

  • so there's no room for maneuver

  • or any vibrato in our tune.

  • Keep a good, full sound

  • without getting brittle or hard,

  • and articulate that lower semiquaver well,

  • because it won't come across over the orchestration.

  • [Ride of the Valkyries]

  • And if you're wondering how you can possibly try

  • and improve on the way you're playing it

  • or, indeed, the way I've been playing it,

  • try subdividing the rhythm.

  • Try playing it all in semiquavers.

  • For instance...

  • [playing semiquavers]

  • So that the rhythm-- you're making sure

  • you move your slide really quickly

  • between the dotted quaver and the semiquaver.

  • Also, you can try this tune in 3/4 time signature.

  • [playing Ride of the Valkyries in 3/4 time]

  • And that puts an emphasis

  • on a different note in the phrase,

  • which means you can really hear how the tuning is settling.

  • If you've got trouble coordinating your slide

  • and your tongue, try it really slowly

  • just with air attack with the instrument,

  • or you can try singing it through.

  • For instance... [rhythmic puffing]

  • That makes sure you're using air

  • right at the start of the notes,

  • and the tongue is absolutely right on the button.

  • The next excerpt I'm going to talk about

  • is Berlioz' "Hungarian March" from "The Damnation of Faust."

  • Apparently, Berlioz had already written

  • this "Hungarian March"

  • previous to writing "The Damnation of Faust,"

  • which is why "The Damnation of Faust"

  • is set in Hungary from the start.

  • Now, Berlioz would have been used to using

  • smaller trombones in France at the time of his composition

  • than in Germany,

  • and probably than you're playing on now.

  • Sometimes it can be good to play Berlioz

  • on a small instrument.

  • I did this with "Symphonie Fantastique"

  • earlier in the summer.

  • Though Berlioz apparently

  • was not really a fan of the alto trombone,

  • saying that actually most competent players

  • could get the notes on a tenor,

  • and he much preferred the sound of the tenor.

  • This excerpt is all about subdivision.

  • Not being late off the tight notes

  • and really looking after the tuning,

  • the difference between the semitones

  • and the whole tones.

  • [Hungarian March]

  • You can, again, take this piece,

  • as same as we talked about with the Wagner,

  • out of rhythmic context.

  • This really shines a light on, as I was saying,

  • the difference between the semitones

  • and the whole tones.

  • For instance, try playing it in this rhythm.

  • [slower rhythm]

  • Two semiquavers, then a quaver.

  • And you can reverse that rhythm exactly the same--

  • quaver, then two semiquavers--

  • or play it all in a triplet fashion.

  • And this is just to shine a light

  • on your--on any poor tuning that's happening.

  • I've certainly used this in my practice

  • for this performance today.

  • You must also really hear the rest of the orchestra

  • during your bars rest.

  • Playing an excerpt with bars rest is always tricky.

  • Really keep that pulse going in your head.

  • I'd just like to say a few words

  • about the Ferdinand David.

  • Many editions exist of this piece,

  • and the rhythms are somewhat controversial.

  • Please state on your video which edition you are using

  • just so that we know.

  • This piece is your chance to shine musically,

  • say something interesting.

  • Remember, all music is either going to somewhere

  • or coming away.

  • Really hear the accompaniment in your head,

  • because you won't have an accompanist, I'm sure.

  • And don't just keep playing this piece through

  • when you're practicing it.

  • Take the harder bars out of context

  • and practice them in isolation,

  • perhaps changing the rhythms

  • to trick yourself into hearing things in a different way.

  • Now, the final excerpt we're going to talk about today

  • is Schumann's Third Symphony.

  • I always prefer to play this on the alto trombone,

  • but if you don't have one, you will not be penalized

  • for playing it on a tenor.

  • Schumann was apparently inspired by scenes

  • right along the Rhine River

  • when he was writing his Third Symphony,

  • and the fourth movement in particular

  • is said to depict the beautiful Cologne Cathedral.

  • This would be very apt, because in the 1800s,

  • trombones were very much used to depict sacred music

  • and in a choral fashion.

  • All of the individual parts of the trombone section

  • are more or less within a vocal range,

  • and the prevailing harmony

  • is contained within the trombone section.

  • Obviously, you have to look after your individual pitch,

  • but once you get into the orchestra,

  • you really have to listen to the rest of the section as well

  • and where your note lies within the chord.

  • Play this excerpt as smoothly as you possibly can.

  • Keep notes right to their full length

  • before moving the slide.

  • And try not to focus on the top E flat.

  • It's not the climax of the phrase.

  • [Schumann's Symphony Number Three]

  • When I'm going to be playing this piece,

  • or the Tuba Mirum from Mozart's "Requiem,"

  • I always try and practice them

  • even slower than you think

  • you're going to have to play them

  • and even quieter than you know

  • you're going to have to play them in the orchestra.

  • This takes you out of your comfort zone,

  • and so once you get into the orchestra,

  • hopefully, it feels easier.

  • Thanks for watching this master class

  • for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra.

  • I hope you found even one small part of what I've said

  • of used to you in preparing your auditions.

  • I'm really looking forward to seeing the videos

  • in the near future,

  • so good luck in your application.

Jones: Welcome to the trombone master class

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