Mike Svoboda: Trombone soloist with orchestra
Mike Svoboda is committed to expanding his instrument's repertoire and reaching new audiences. Having played as a soloist with Europe's leading orchestras and ensembles, he has inspired numerous composers to write concertos especially for him. Some premieres in recent years were: Canzona per sonare for alto trombone and two orchestral groups from Germany's leading composer Wolfgang Rihm, the poetic Voyage III by the Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa, the strangely beautiful Lullaby by the Czech composer Martin Smolka, the hour-long dramatic work by Peter Eötvös As I crossed the bridge of dreams and NUN by Germany's foremost avant-garde composer Helmut Lachenmann. Sandeep Bhagwati, Sidney Corbett, Christian Jost, Manuel Hidalgo, Wolfram Schürig, Bernd Thewes and Mattias Spahlinger are some more composers who have written or are writing concertos for Mike Svoboda. In addition, he has also performed the German premieres of trombone concertos by Michael Nyman and Iannis Xenakis.
His third composition for trombone and orchestra was premiered in February 2011 with the famous Stuttgart Radio Orchestra. With the rather sober title Music for Trombone and Orchestra, this music, not based on any music of the past, compliments his own 30-minute modern Carmen-Variations called Love Hurts - Carmen Remix (2003) and his 45-minute work based on music from Rossini ALIAS - Mozart aka Rossini (2005) with string orchestra.
As the trombone began to sing... "Wolfgang Rihm's Trombone Concerto is titled "Canzona per sonare" (A canzona to be sung) ... And the trombone certainly did sing, due to the tremendous artistry of the soloist Mike Svoboda (playing from memory!), whose heavenly smooth tone combined with an unsurpassed dynamic and timbral flexibility was amazing. (...) The sound language of Wolfgang Rihm impressed as much as the composer's play with rhythmic raffinesse and jazzy moments, almost giving the composition with all it's virtuosity and bravour a divertimento character." - Schwetzinger Newspaper May 2002
hosokawa: voyage III live-recording Schoenberg Ensemble/de Leuw
mike svoboda: love hurts - carmen remix live recording
Michael Nyman: Trombone Concerto
martin smolka: lullaby
svoboda: love hurts - carmen remix
Sandström: Motorbike Concerto
Iannis Xenakis: trookh (excerpt)
thewes: offline (excerpt) live recording Ensemble Aventure/Hommel
repertoire for trombone and orchestra - a selection
Sandeep Bhagwati (*1963) Inside a Native Land (2003) 120'
for trombone, 8 orchestra groups and live-electronics
flexible instrumentation
premiere: March 2003, Berlin; Ensemble Mosaik, Mike Svoboda conductor and soloist
Friedrich Cerha (*1926) Music for Trombone and Strings (2005) 20'
string orchestra and solo trombone (Dolbinger, Wien)
premiere: November 2006, Athens, Greece; Heinrich Schiff (cond.), Mike Svoboda (trombone), Camerata Athen
Peter Eötvös (*1944) "As I crossed the bridge of dreams" (1999) 50'
music theater for 4 actors, alto trombone and ensemble
1.1.0.Sax. - 0.0.0.1. - 4 perc., midi-pn.- 4.2.2.2. (Ricordi)
premiere: October 1999, Donaueschingen; Claire Bloom, actress; Mike Svoboda, Ensemble Varianti, Manfred Schreier
recorded on cd
Launy Gröndahl (1886-1960) Concert (1924) 15'
pour trombone solo et Orchestre
3.3.3.2. - 3.3.3.1. - strings (Dansk Musik)
Toshio Hosokawa (*1955) Voyage III (1997) 15´
for trombone solo and orchestra
1.1.1.1. - 1.1.1.0. - hrp., cel, 2 perc. -str. (Schott)
premiere: November 1997, Amsterdam; Mike Svoboda, Schoenberg Ensemble, Reinbert de Leuw
Christian Jost (*1963) Dies Irae (2001) 20´
for trombone solo and orchestra
3.3.3.3. - 2.2.2.1. -hrp.-2 perc. - strings (Schott)
premiere: May 2001, Saarbrücken; Mike Svoboda, Radio Symphony Orchestra Saarbrücken, Marc Soustrot
Helmut Lachenmann (*1935) NUN (1999) 40'
for flute, trombone and orchestra
3.3.3.2. - 3.2.0.2. - 4 perc., 2 pn.- 8 male voices. -str. (Breitkopf & Härtel)
premiere: October 1999, Cologne; Gaby Pas van Riet, flutes; Mike Svoboda, West German Radio Orchestra, Johnathon Nott
recorded on cd
David Lang (*1957) Men (2001)
for trombone and ensemble
Michael Nyman (*1944) Trombone Concerto (1995) 25'
4.4.4.4. - 2.2.2.1. - 3 perc., pn. - strings (Chester)
german premiere: Mai 2002, Bochum; Mike Svoboda, Bochumer Symphoniker, David Affron
Wolfgang Rihm (*1952) Canzona per sonare "Über die Linie" V (2002) 20'
for alto trombone and 2 orchestra groups
0.2Enghr.0.2cbfg.-4(2wgtb.).0.2.2.-timp.,3perc.-2hrp..-0.0.4.4.2. (UE)
premiere: May 2002, Schwetzingen; Mike Svoboda, Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Stefan Asbury
recorded on cd
Nino Rota (1911-1979) Trombone Concerto (1966) 16´
2.2.2.2. - 2.0.0.0. - strings (Riccordi)
Jan Sandström (*1954) Trombone Concerto "Motorbike Odysee" (1989/2002) 25´
2.2.3.3. - 4.3.3.1. - 3 perc., hrp, pn. - strings (Tarrodi)
Hans Schönthal (1896-1937) Maischall (1924) 5'
für Posaune und 11 Instrumente
2.2.2.2.-2.2.0.0.-perc- solo trombone (Kruse Verlag)
premiere: December 2011, Chur, Switzerland; Sebastian Tewinkel (cond.), Mike Svoboda (trombone), Kammerphilharmonie Graubünden
Hans Schönthal (1896-1937) Der Hauch, der Wind, der Sturm (1913) 8'
für Posaune und Streichorchester (Kruse Verlag)
premiere: December 2011, Chur, Switzerland; Sebastian Tewinkel (cond.), Mike Svoboda (trombone), Kammerphilharmonie Graubünden
für Posaune und Ensemble (Ariadne, Vienna)
Martin Smolka (*1959) Lullaby (1993) 16'
for trombone and ensemble
0.0.2.0.-0.0.0.0.-guitar-perc-1.1.1.1.1 solo trombone (Breitkopf & Härtel)
premiere: February 1994, Stuttgart, Mike Svoboda, Ensemble SurPlus, James Avery
BKl, Pos soli; 1-2-3-Sax-1, 1-3-2-0, Perc (5), Pno, Str
premiere: David Smeyers, bass clarinet - Mike Svoboda, trombone - Southwest German Radio Orchestra Baden-Baden, Jörg Wittenbach, conductor
Marco Stroppa (* 1959) Inside the needle's eye (1996-99) 30'
for trombone and ensemble
1.1.1.1. - 1.1.1.1. -2perc. - 1.1.1.1.1. (Ricordi)
german premiere: January 2001, Stuttgart; Mike Svoboda, Ensemble VARIANTI, Manfred Schreier
Mike Svoboda (* 1960) ALIAS - Mozart aka Rossini (2004) 45'
based on themes by G. Rossini and with a text by Manfred Weiß
for trombone solo (also naration), percussion, and string orchestra
0.0.0.0.-0.0.0.0.-Perc.-Strings (5.4.3.2.1) and tape (Kruse Verlag)
premiere: January 2005, Pforzheim; Mike Svoboda, Southwest German Chamber Orchestra, Sebastian Tewinkel
Mike Svoboda (* 1960) Love Hurts - Carmen-Remix (2003) 34' or 21
based on themes by Georges Bizet '
for orchestra and soloist
2.2.2.2. - 4.3.2.1. - timp., 2perc. - stings (Kruse Verlag)
premiere: February 2003, Reutlingen; Mike Svoboda, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen, Sebastian Tewinkel
Mike Svoboda (* 1960) Music for Trombone and Orchestra (2010) 25´
3.3.3.3. - 4.3.2.1. - 3perc. - stings (Kruse Verlag)
premiere: February 2011, Stuttgart; Mike Svoboda, Southwest German Radio Orchestra, Peter Rundel
Toru Takemitsu (*1930) Fantasma/Cantos II (1994) 16' for trombone and orchestra
2.2.2.2. - 3.1.0.0. - 2 perc., hrp, cel., strings. (Schott)
Iannis Xenakis (*1922-2002) Troorkh pour trombone solo et orchestre (1993) 17´
4.4.4.4. - 4.4.4.1. - Str.: 16.14.12.10.8 (Edition Salabert)
German premiere: October 2000, Munich: Mike Svoboda, Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Peter Rundel
recorded on cd
further repertoire on request..