Peter Moore's trombone has a storied past, marked by rare concerto performances and early triumphs. His latest venture with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in Dai Fujikura's Vast Ocean II, however, finds the instrument navigating uncharted sonic territories.
Conducted by Kazuki Yamada, the work is an intriguing reworking of Fujikura's 2005 trombone concerto, set against the backdrop of Stanisław Lem's novel Solaris. In this otherworldly narrative, Moore's trombone assumes the role of a human adventurer, braving the teeming ocean that serves as the orchestra's sentient, glowing entity.
Fujikura's score is akin to Tarkovsky's cinematic landscapes – it eschews traditional development for an immersive tapestry of glinting sounds and textures. Moore coaxes his instrument into singing, discovering hidden colors within the repeated notes, imbuing slides with emotive sighs and howls that harmonize with Yamada's rich, elusive accompaniment.
While Fujikura's music is renowned for its ability to pose questions rather than provide definitive answers, the Vast Ocean II concert may benefit from a more cohesive narrative arc. Nevertheless, the work remains a testament to the composer's mastery of sonic exploration.
The second half of the program shifts gears with Mahler's Symphony No 1, which finds Yamada's instincts and musicality perfectly at home in this beloved classic. From the lilting peasant-Ländler movement to the thunderous finale, the brass section is on full display, its triumphant playing punctuated by a sense of exuberance and joy.
The third movement, featuring a dark and foreboding Frère Jacques theme, hints at a more sinister world lurking beneath the surface. While these ominous undertones are an effective counterpoint to Mahler's work's life-affirming optimism, they feel somewhat disconnected from the rest of the symphony, leaving one to wonder if all was not lost in translation.
Ultimately, Peter Moore's trombone has proven itself once again as a versatile and expressive instrument, capable of conjuring worlds both fantastical and familiar.
Conducted by Kazuki Yamada, the work is an intriguing reworking of Fujikura's 2005 trombone concerto, set against the backdrop of Stanisław Lem's novel Solaris. In this otherworldly narrative, Moore's trombone assumes the role of a human adventurer, braving the teeming ocean that serves as the orchestra's sentient, glowing entity.
Fujikura's score is akin to Tarkovsky's cinematic landscapes – it eschews traditional development for an immersive tapestry of glinting sounds and textures. Moore coaxes his instrument into singing, discovering hidden colors within the repeated notes, imbuing slides with emotive sighs and howls that harmonize with Yamada's rich, elusive accompaniment.
While Fujikura's music is renowned for its ability to pose questions rather than provide definitive answers, the Vast Ocean II concert may benefit from a more cohesive narrative arc. Nevertheless, the work remains a testament to the composer's mastery of sonic exploration.
The second half of the program shifts gears with Mahler's Symphony No 1, which finds Yamada's instincts and musicality perfectly at home in this beloved classic. From the lilting peasant-Ländler movement to the thunderous finale, the brass section is on full display, its triumphant playing punctuated by a sense of exuberance and joy.
The third movement, featuring a dark and foreboding Frère Jacques theme, hints at a more sinister world lurking beneath the surface. While these ominous undertones are an effective counterpoint to Mahler's work's life-affirming optimism, they feel somewhat disconnected from the rest of the symphony, leaving one to wonder if all was not lost in translation.
Ultimately, Peter Moore's trombone has proven itself once again as a versatile and expressive instrument, capable of conjuring worlds both fantastical and familiar.
and i'm still reeling from it... daisuke fujiwara's music is like nothin' i've ever heard before - its like he's usin' sound as a whole different language 
i loved how peter moore's trombone came alive in those concerto pieces, like it was tellin' this crazy story 
gotta say, though, that mahler symphony was kinda jarring after all that... felt like they were two completely different beasts 
from the experience! The music was like nothing I've ever heard before - it's like Kazuki Yamada took all these different sounds and textures and mashed them together into this crazy beautiful sonic landscape 
. Peter Moore's trombone is just insane, he coaxed so much emotion out of that instrument it was like the notes were singing to me 
. The only thing I would've liked to see is a bit more cohesion between the different pieces, but overall it was just mesmerizing 
... but, like, what if we took it up another notch? Imagine Peter Moore's trombone not just navigating sonic territories, but actually creating its own reality 
... but can't we get some more cohesion in that third movement? Maybe some darker, richer harmonies to match those ominous undertones? 
and it was literally mind blown by the sound of that trombone in Vast Ocean II 
. but idk if the story aspect of it all was a bit meh, felt like it didn't quite come together... still tho, Mahler's symphony 1 was fire 
sounds like something from a sci-fi movie. i mean i love a good sonic exploration as much as the next person but come on, a sentient glowing ocean? that's some next level stuff 
. and mahler, yeah, we've all been there 
. but seriously, peter moore's trombone is like the ultimate multi-tasker - it can go from singing to howling and back again, what a legend 
.
? Don't get me wrong, I love trombones as much as the next person, but this seems like just another fancy orchestra concert that's trying too hard to be artsy 
. where's the proof? what sources do we have on Dai Fujikura's compositional process? 
. The idea of the trombone being this sentient entity navigating an ocean that's, like, a character in itself is pretty mind-blowing. And Peter Moore's playing skills are just insane - I've seen videos of him before and he always seems so into it. But yeah, maybe they could have tied the whole thing together more cohesively? The Mahler symphony was amazing though! I love how the brass section gets to shine in the lilting movement 