The trombone concertos don't often reach the spotlight as they do for other brass instruments. Peter Moore, a Belfast-born musician, has been making waves in recent years with his growing repertoire and advocacy for his instrument.
His latest project is Dai Fujikura's Vast Ocean II, a reworking of the composer's 2005 trombone concerto, given its UK premiere by Kazuki Yamada and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The piece takes inspiration from Stanisław Lem's sci-fi novel Solaris, with Moore as the human adventurer and Yamada's orchestra representing the teeming ocean.
Fujikura's score is an ambitious pointillist canvas that often resists conventional development, instead favoring repetition, echo, and dissolution. Moore made his trombone sing through nuanced phrasing and dynamic expression, coaxing out a variety of timbres from the instrument.
The musical journey shifts gears after the interval with Mahler's Symphony No 1, which suited Yamada's instinctive musicianship perfectly. The work is painted in broad strokes, with vivid depictions of earthy landscapes, including a lilting peasant-Ländler movement that showcases Moore's ability to convey emotion through his trombone playing.
However, amidst the work's many bright spots, some elements fell short. A sinister minor-key version of Frère Jacques was effectively creepy, but it lacked a necessary counterpoint – a bleak nullity that would have balanced out the symphony's overwhelming life and optimism.
Ultimately, Moore's performances demonstrated his growing mastery over Fujikura's complex music, even if some sonic journeys remained unclear or incomplete.
His latest project is Dai Fujikura's Vast Ocean II, a reworking of the composer's 2005 trombone concerto, given its UK premiere by Kazuki Yamada and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The piece takes inspiration from Stanisław Lem's sci-fi novel Solaris, with Moore as the human adventurer and Yamada's orchestra representing the teeming ocean.
Fujikura's score is an ambitious pointillist canvas that often resists conventional development, instead favoring repetition, echo, and dissolution. Moore made his trombone sing through nuanced phrasing and dynamic expression, coaxing out a variety of timbres from the instrument.
The musical journey shifts gears after the interval with Mahler's Symphony No 1, which suited Yamada's instinctive musicianship perfectly. The work is painted in broad strokes, with vivid depictions of earthy landscapes, including a lilting peasant-Ländler movement that showcases Moore's ability to convey emotion through his trombone playing.
However, amidst the work's many bright spots, some elements fell short. A sinister minor-key version of Frère Jacques was effectively creepy, but it lacked a necessary counterpoint – a bleak nullity that would have balanced out the symphony's overwhelming life and optimism.
Ultimately, Moore's performances demonstrated his growing mastery over Fujikura's complex music, even if some sonic journeys remained unclear or incomplete.
just listened to Peter Moore's trombone concertos and I'm blown away! 
he has such a beautiful touch on that instrument, it's like he's channeling the ocean itself 
! dai fujikura's music is so ambitious and experimental, but peter brings this sense of vulnerability and emotion to the table 
. it's amazing to see him pushing the boundaries of what trombone can do. one thing that stood out was how he balanced the darker moments with lighter ones - like that creepy Frère Jacques 
vs the lilting peasant-Ländler movement 
. all in all, a really inspiring performance 
this peter moore guy is literally killing it with dai fujikura's vast ocean ii he totally got the sci-fi vibes down pat and his phrasing on that pointillist score was EVERYTHING 
i mean, i loved how the symphony 1 by mahler came in after the interval too - kazuki yamada's orchestra was on point! but yeah, some parts felt a bit meh... like that minor-key frère jacob thingy... needed more contrast 
He has such a unique way of coaxing out emotions from that instrument, you know? Like, when he played the Mahler symphony, it was like the music just flowed through him and into the orchestra 
. Yeah, maybe there were some moments where things felt a bit unclear, but honestly, I'd rather have that sense of experimentation and risk-taking than perfect polish any day 
. Can't wait to see what Moore does next! 
, but it felt a bit all over the place for me. The Vast Ocean II piece by Dai Fujikura was mind-blowing – I mean, that sci-fi novel inspiration totally paid off! 
But at times, I thought Moore's playing got lost in all the repetition and echo... like, you know when you're trying to tune into a radio station but it keeps cutting out? 
! Kazuki Yamada really brought his A-game, didn't he? But back to Moore... I think what would've taken the concert to the next level was a bit more contrast. Like, maybe some darker moments to balance out all the brightness 
... think about it, they're just sitting there waiting for someone to come along and breathe life into them... and this Peter Moore guy is trying his best but sometimes those complex pointillist scores can feel like a puzzle that's hard to solve 
... and don't even get me started on the Mahler symphony, it's like he just phoned it in after the first half 
... anyway, at least Moore showed some promise with Dai Fujikura's Vast Ocean II, fingers crossed he keeps pushing himself creatively 
I mean, come on, trombone concertos are like the OG underdog instrument. We're still waiting for someone to make a big splash with one. Peter Moore is doing his thing, but it feels like he's trying way too hard to impress everyone. The music is cool and all, but sometimes it just doesn't land for me 
. And can we talk about that interval change? Mahler's Symphony No 1 is iconic, but it kinda felt like the orchestra was just phoning it in after the first half 
.
can't wait for their next collab! 
. the music can be eerie and creepy at times (that frère jacques thing was 
. That's when I felt like he was truly tapping into something special...
i loved how moore brought this weird sci-fi inspired trombone concerto to life! kazuki yamada's orchestra was on point 
but that frère jacques bit felt kinda meh... it had all the creepy vibes, but it needed some contrast or something. still, moore's skills are insane and i'm def rooting for him 
. It's awesome that there are people out there who care about making new music and sharing it with others. Sometimes its hard to follow all the different parts of a piece, like with that Frère Jacques bit... but Moore did an amazing job bringing everything together 