Sospiri (12 Pos)

Sospiri (12 Pos) (Sospiri (sigh) was written in 1914 and dedicated to Billy reed, a violinist from the London Symphony Orchestra who helped Elgar in his composition of his Violin Concerto 4 years earlier. Originally for strings, harp and harmonium, it has a long, expressive melody in the first violin line. The whole is very intimate and expressive but also has a deeply felt intensity. It has the feeling of one long, melancholy sigh. This arrangement is for 12-trombone ensemble and was made for the trombone choir of Trinity College of Music, London. Performance notes: The solo line (trombones 1-3 throughout) should be expressive and not at all hurried. Staggered breath marks are suggested in order to keep a long line going through the phrases. Be careful not to become aggressive in the louder dynamic – they denote a greater intensity of feeling rather than ‘symphonic’ power. The accompaniment should be at all times on a lower dynamic level than the solo line. Nevertheless, strive for a good balance between the voices and make sure that the moves of harmony are clear. Player 4-12 need well matching cup mutes; if they are not available the final section should be played in straight mutes instead. )