# Most accessible Symphonies for Community Orchestra that have Trombones?



## lindaperro (Feb 18, 2013)

What would the most accessible symphonies be for Community Orchestra with Trombones? I am thinking of Beethoven 5 but know that trombones are only 4th movement and quite high and not sure if Beethoven 5 is too difficult. Looking too at Dvorak 6 or 8?


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## kv466 (May 18, 2011)

Prokofiev c-minor symphony, op.44, perhaps.


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## GraemeG (Jun 30, 2009)

Schubert's Unfinished.
Maybe Schumann 3 Rhenish.
Wanting trombones really narrows the field.
It's easy to make the Schumann sound terrible. 
In general, Dvorak is much harder than it sounds. 8th symphony might be easier than 6. 6 is a pretty tricky piece.
Maybe Brahms 2 if you have enough strings.
GG


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## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

I agree with GraemeG reccomendation of Schubert's Unfinished.. It's not that hard to play and features three trombones..  It's a beautiful symphony.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

A few suggestions:

Berwald - Four symphonies to choose from
Borodin - No 2
Brahms - 2 or 3
Bruckner - No 3 (1889 version)
Dvořák - Symphony 5, 8 or 9 (New World)
Mendelssohn - Symphony No 5 (Reformation)
Schubert - 8 (Unfinished) or 9
Schumann - 1, 2 or 4 (NOT No 3 (Rhenish) - the trombone parts even bring professionals out into a cold sweat)
Tchaikovsky - No 2 (Little Russian)
Vaughan Williams - No 5


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Step outside the symphony and try Respighi.

I like Franck's Symphony in D minor.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Recommendations from our trombone section*

I am a bassoonist so I really do not know. At my community orchestra rehearsal last night I approached our trombone section and asked them for recommendations. They came back with some very different responses. What they gave me are pieces that have what they consider great bone parts that are fun to play which are playable by a community orchestra.

Alfred Reed: _Russian Christmas Music_. Our community orchestra has played this work several times. It was originally a band piece that was transcribed for orchestra. Our bone sections loves the trombone part and thinks it is great.

The next one some of you will have trouble swallowing. I am a bit weary of mentioning it myself but our bone section really likes it.

John Williams: _Harry Potter Symphonic Suite_ arranged by Jerry Brubaker. We are going to play this at our next concert and the bone section loves it. As a matter of fact it has a nasty bassoon part that would drive most amateur bassoonists to drink and suicide. It goes to a high D. This is higher that the top note in the bassoon solo in the _Rite of Spring_. (Note: Our bassoon section has been really working on it and last night we nailed it.)

I know Jerry the arranger. I asked him about it. Most of the time when a publisher publishes an arrangement of film music they water it down so a high school orchestra could play it. (Note: One of the pieces we will be performing is an absolutely horrible arrangement of _Star Wars_.) Jerry told me that the publisher gave him the original scores that were prepared for the actual soundtracks. They instructed him they wanted a suite that incorporated as much of the original orchestrations as possible. He stated that the bassoon part we are playing came straight from the original score. These soundtracks are performed by an orchestra with minimal rehearsals. Most of the time the cues are recorded after one or two takes. Whoever that bassoon player in the original sound track is, I am impressed. It has taken us weeks to learn how to play it.

Disclaimer: I know some of you may be barfing up your latest meal. Don't complain to me about it. These recommendations come from the bone section from our community orchestra. You can call them whatever names you want. I think they are a bit batty myself and I am a bassoon player.


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

Does the community orchestra _only_ have trombones? No, stop it - it's a genuine question.


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Why restrict your choices to symphonies?


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## Bone (Jan 19, 2013)

arpeggio said:


> I am a bassoonist so I really do not know. At my community orchestra rehearsal last night I approached our trombone section and asked them for recommendations. They came back with some very different responses. What they gave me are pieces that have what they consider great bone parts that are fun to play which are playable by a community orchestra.
> 
> Alfred Reed: _Russian Christmas Music_. Our community orchestra has played this work several times. It was originally a band piece that was transcribed for orchestra. Our bone sections loves the trombone part and thinks it is great.
> 
> ...


Gotta love us bone players: hopefully, they gave both answers with completely straight faces.

I personally enjoyed Shostakovich 5 and Vaughn Williams 2 a great deal. Of Course, Tchaikovsky is always a blast (literally) and bet everyone would enjoy any of the Brahms. Tough to say which would be a good fit for a community group, though.


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## arpeggio (Oct 4, 2012)

*Yes they did*



Bone said:


> Gotta love us bone players: hopefully, they gave both answers with completely straight faces.


Yes they did.


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