Tre Volti (Three Faces) was commissioned by the renowned “New Trombone Collective”, exclusively existing of top-trombonists from the Dutch symphony orchestras. The world premiere was given by the commissioners and took place in “De Doelen” in Rotterdam on April 16th 2011, during the Slide Factory, the European Trombone Festival.
The composer aimed to illustrate 3 different aspects of the instrument in as many movements.
Effetti e Tecniche (Effects and Techniques) displays a large amount of specific spectacular and acrobatic possibilities and also various colors and sounds by using different mutes. It contains many glissandi as well as clusters with semi tones and quarter tones, all being typical for the trombone.
The Lamento Lirico (Lyrical Lamento) combines the rather serious and noble voice of the trombone with an aspect which not automatically is connected to that instrument: the melodical character. The overall atmosphere of this movement is somewhat sad and strained and refers to the many beautiful but rather dark passages in the orchestral and opera literature where the trombone section as such is used.
The final movement is called Sonata Antica (Antique Sonata) and is directly inspired by two sonatas for 3 and 4 trombones by Daniel Speer (1636 - 1707). It illustrates the historical dimension of the trombone, as it was the only brass instrument being able to play chromatically, many centuries before all other brass instruments, thanks to the unique slide system which even during the Middle Ages was applicable already. The antiphonal position, the dialoguing motives and the neo-early-baroque idiom really pay homage to Daniel Speer. He composed a certain number of pieces for brass instruments indeed and the composer used thematic material from his Sonatas in D and A in various ways, thus concluding this varied composition in a festive way.
