The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a British Orchestra located in London. This specific orchestra group began in 1946 and was founded by Sir Thomas Beecham, who directed this orchestra until he died in 1961. Since the death of Sir Beecham, there have been many conductors coming through but for the 2021-2022 season, the conductor is Vasily Petrenko (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. n.d.). The musical piece my partner and I have chosen to focus on from the RPO is “Milhaud’s Concertino d’Hiver,” conducted by Jamie Phillips with a Solo Trombone by Matthew Gee. This orchestra piece was written in 1934 by Sir Thomas, completing his Seasons series, released on October 1, 1992. The specific video we are referencing was performed at Cadogan Hall, London, on March 25, 2021, with an audience of zero due to the pandemic, COVID-19. Nevertheless, “Milhaud’s Concertino d’Hiver” offers a complex mix of emotions by building a foundation with strings and moving the narrative with the help of the trombone solo.
Within this orchestra, various instruments play critical roles and their parts in this orchestra piece. Just in this orchestra, the instruments included are the trombone and strings. Milhaud’s Concertino d’Hiver Op. 327 by this orchestra, and it is performed by eighteen string orchestra members and one trombone soloist. The combination of these instruments is unique, as the strings create a base sound and tone, and the trombone seems to take center stage and lead the narrative of the piece and its mood. The contrast between the number of these instruments is also notable – eighteen-string instruments ranging from violins to cellos are played at the same time, presenting a range of sounds. At the same time, the trombone stands out, and its sound is distinctive and different. In parts of the performance where the trombone is heard, it becomes a storyteller.
The trombone also delivers a breadth of emotions due to its wide range of sounds. Similarly, as the speed of the piece changes from fast to slow and returns to fast, the long performance is divided into several parts. The original atmosphere, as this has been played multiple times in different places, seems to be joyfully mixed with emotional ties of despair and concern. This musical piece gave us a calming reflection with emotions that range from sadness to dread, to hope. This musical piece made us want to become part of the live audience to feel the emotions in the true raw form it brings.
The piece feels unconventional – the combination of the instruments and the change in moods create a long story with many events that constantly change one’s impression. During some moments, the music is lyrical and slow – it evokes feelings of melancholy and sadness. In others, it is fast and cheerful, which turns any negative emotion into joy. The experience of sitting through the whole performance brings up a comparison with living through an entire season. The name of the piece – “Concertino d’Hiver” – means a small concert for the winter, which applies to its contents. During winter, the weather can bring people down, but this season is filled with joyous celebrations and fun activities.
The conductor of this musical piece was so in tune with the musical work that his facial expressions within the video vary in feeling. The way he conducted this musical piece is in a way where it begins with high-pitched variations and slows down to a slow tempo of sadness. The audience then gets a surprise of great joy when the tempo, mode, and rhythm pick back up into a fast and happy feeling. With the mix of soloists followed along with by an orchestra, this musical flows in a way with surprise, a good surprise. Although the event did not have an audience, the combination of the performers’ attention to detail, the composer’s dedication, and the piece’s unique flow and instrument mix became an experience of introspection into the best and worst parts of winter. “Milhaud’s Concertino d’Hiver” should be experienced live by everybody to immerse oneself in its unique sound fully.
Reference
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. (n.d.). Vasily Petrenko.