[Trombone-l] Mahler 1

[Walter Barrett]

Honestly, the last time I played it, we left the 4th part out. With a slightly underpowered string section, the three of us had more than enough gas at the end, and the part is doubled in the other trombones and horns. 🤫🤚

If I were to do it with four, I would sit as you described, 4,1,2,3. Yes, you are a bit farther away from the trumpet, but I’d rather have the second and third trombones be able to hear me as usual. I might also have the 4th player double my part on unisons, or play them in my place, at least in the beginning of the last movement, so that he’d be better prepared to play with at least a little warm up.

Walter Barrett
📲⚡️ walterbarrett.com
Yamaha Performing Artist

> On May 14, 2018, at 9:58 AM, Marius Helgå via Trombone-l <trombone-l at trombonelist.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi, all
> 
> I was wondering what is the «normal» way of organising the four trombonists in Mahler 1?
> Is the one playing the 4th part usually waiting through the entire symphony to just play the ending, or will he/she usually double some bits of some of the other parts?
> In what order are the players usually seated? 4-1-2-3 doesn’t seem too stupid for me, but I realise that makes you lose the close connection between trumpet 1 and trombone 1.
> 
> I understand there probably are no exact answer here, but would love to hear how this is usually solved, especially with amateur orchestras.
> 
> Marius Helgå
> Bass Trombone
> Oslo/Mo i Rana, Norway 
> _______________________________________________
> Trombone-l mailing list
> Trombone-l at trombonelist.org
> http://trombonelist.org/mailman/listinfo/trombone-l_trombonelist.org