René Leibowitz Concertino for Trombone

Details:
The Concertino for Trombone was composed for Vinko Globokar and performed only once, with Leibowitz conducting, in
Ljubljana in 1960. As guest composer at the Suntory Hall Summer Festival 2004, Globokar was invited to choose a work
influential to his own development; he chose Leibowitz’s work. The 2004 performance given by Professor Webb was the second
performance of the Concertino, and the premiere recording of this work.

Portfolio:
Performances of Leibowitz Four Bagatelles for Trombone and Piano (1963), prepared with pianist Nika Shirocorad, at Bacau
Contemporary Music Days 17th Edition, Romania; Chengdu International Contemporary Music Festival, China; University of
Huddersfield. Programmes associated.
Performances of both the Concertino and the Bagatelles were prepared in consultation with Vinko Globokar.

Context:
At Vinko Globokar’s recommendation, Professor Webb was the soloist in this performance of Leibowitz’s Concertino.
Preparation for the performance required substantial consultation with Globokar, the original interpreter of the work. Since the
original trombone part (the original materials are with the Paul Sacher Foundation) is faded, detailed work was necessary to
reinstate original staves, phrasing and articulation – much of which was verified through further consultation with Globokar.
Without this research to produce a definitive solo part, future performances of this work would be difficult and inaccurate. During
the same period Professor Webb gave several performances of Leibowitz’s Four Bagatelles for Trombone and Piano (1963),
with pianist Nika Shirocorad. The preparatory work needed to perform these latter works also involved research with Globokar,
who was able to convey information that is not contained in the composer’s manuscript score.