Slide 1 (introduction)

Slide 2 (about)

John Kenny (b. 1957) is an eclectic performer on the trombone, with an interest in styles from early
to contemporary music, as well as jazz.

He is a Professor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and the Akademie Schloss
Solitude in Stuttgart, as well as an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London.

This work, written originally in 1984 and revised in 1995, is one of a series of similar sonatas for
trombones ranging from alto to contrabass. It was originally intended as a technical study to
introduce performers to extended techniques, but developed into a full 3 movement recital work.

The piece was premiered at the Festival de La Rochelle in France.

Slide 3 (mvt 1 part 1)

The opening is one of the few moments of respite that the performer gets in the whole work, as
taxing extended techniques are present from this point forward.

(Demonstrate lip trill) Lip trills involve a fast movement between 2 pitches by rapidly adjusting the
embouchure and airflow. Best practiced by starting slow and speeding up, possibly with a
metronome. This technique is present in much classical trombone repertoire such as
Albrechtsberger concerto for alto trombone, and David Concertino.

(Demonstrate slurring against the grain) Natural slurring, slurring against the harmonics over wider
ranges, is similar to a lip trill but has more notes. The performer must make sure to be careful with
the pitching of each note, although in faster examples the exactness of the pitch is secondary to the
effect that the is being created.

Both of the above are facilitated by the use of alternate positions to make natural slurs possible.

(Demonstrate both types of glissandi) While not a particularly extended technique, trombone
glissandi such as those in bars 16 and 17 are less common than those which just go between 2 notes.

Slide 4 (mvt 1 part 2)

Continuation of previous techniques for the first 2 lines of page 2.

(Demonstrate basic multiphonics) Multiphonics as found here use the interval of a major 10th to
help to create a resonant sound, as the overtones produced create a more chordal affect. The
performer should practice these multiphonics out of context before attempting to fit them into the
music as a whole. The performer must have a secure ear to ensure that the pitch is always accurate
on the sung note, to ensure the interval is correct. In the example in bar 39, where the singing stops
during the note, the fundamental played pitch must stay the same throughout.

(Demonstrate high E and F)The high register notes, while not unseen in trombone repertoire, are
somewhat outside of the normal range of the instrument, and the performer should ensure that
their ear hears these notes, as the harmonics of the instrument do not ‘slot’ in that register, and
therefore almost any note can be played in any position.

Slide 5 (mvt 2)

As both a composer and a performer, John Kenny has an interest in a very wide range of musical
styles, and his interest in jazz music is very clear in this movement.

(Demonstrate use of the plunger) The plunger mute is a mute which can be used to quickly cover
and uncover the bell of the trombone, to alternate between a muffled sound and an open one.
Various in-between states are also available and used widely in particularly earlier jazz music, such
as that of Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller. The rapid alternation of on and off in the first bar of the
movement creates a ‘wah-wah’ effect. Similarly, the ‘doo-bop’ marking on the score in bars 7-22
uses an on to off movement of the mute to create the effect, as found in jazz standards such as the
Glenn Miller arrangement of Tuxuedo Junction (Demonstrate both).

The multiphonics used in Movement 1 are extended here to include the adjustment of the vowel
sound that is sung alongside the played note – once again this is a technique that the performer
would practice out of context in the piece, perhaps in a more comfortable register, and then place
into context with the correct pitching etc.

(Demonstrate screeching) The ‘inhale – high screech’ marking in bar 17 is produced by breathing in
with a tense throat while keeping the instrument in playing position, creating a somewhat pained
gasping sound.

(Demonstrate doodle tonguing) Doodle tonguing is a technique employed by many of most virtuosic
improvisers, such as Carl Fontana and Bill Watrous, used to create a smooth swing at faster tempos.
It is used here to create a subtle rhythm in the continuous B natural, and to facilitate the accented
higher notes, which come on the harder ‘da’ syllable each time. It is similar to double tonging, but
uses a softer ‘doo-dul’ articulation, rather than a more pronounced ‘ta-ka’ or ‘da-ga’ one.

The rest of the movement continues in a similar vein, employing the same techniques discussed
above for its duration.

Slide 6 (mvt 3)

(Demonstrate slap tongue on low F#) Slap tonguing involves exhaling through the trombone, while
stopping the air from escaping by placing the tongue between the lips. This creates a percussive
sound, as well as a faint pitch. To practice this technique, the performer would work in isolation to
co-ordinate the slide and tongue for the loudest ‘thud’ and pitch. Two variations on slap tonguing
are used in the movement – several notes produced this way are notated in quick succession, e.g. at
the beginning of line 3, but examples with an extended exhalation are also used, such as at the very
end of the movement.

In contrast to the doodle tonguing used in the previous movement, which is intended to lightly
articulate a pedalled B natural, here Kenny notates that the performer should double tongue with a
very strong syllable, to the point that very little of the actual note itself is heard. While this
technique is not particularly extended, development of a double tongue of the strength required
here may require development through exercises found in most trombone tutor books, such as
Lafosse, Arban, or Gane.

(Circular breathing – can’t demonstrate) One of the most taxing techniques found in the sonata is
circular breathing. This required the player to breathe into their cheeks once nearly out of air, and
use the cheek muscles to continue to expel air while the nose is used to breathe in. This technique is
best practiced away from the instrument, often by breathing on one’s own hand to ensure that a
constant airflow is achieved. Once doable without the instrument the performer can then move
onto doing this while maintaining a steady embouchure and buzz.

The multiphonics required at the same time in this instance serve to complicate matters, as a greater
quantity of air is required to perform multiphonics, and taking a full breath while circular breathing
requires several inhalations.

The vocal range (up to B natural a major 7th above middle C) that is required in the notated melody
at B may be of difficulty to certain performers, as this falls within the accepted range of a tenor
voice, or on the peripheries of that of a baritone. Because of this, some performers (such as myself)
whose voices does not extend this high, or indeed women whose voices may struggle with the lower
notes, may need to shift some octaves to make this feasible.

Close to the end of the work, the performer is required to scream down the instrument with a
specific set of syllables.

Slide 7 (summary)

The piece would likely not be sight-readable, even to the most virtuosic performers.

Many of the extended techniques used should be practiced slowly and in isolation to ensure
accuracy before they are played in context.

A former colleague in the department played this piece for their end of year recital last year, and
said that many of the techniques require practice every day, even to stay at the same level of skill
with them.

Slide 8 (references)