Partita II

Score available on special sale from the Hire Library

In Partita II Coll gives a compressed survey of familiar aspects of the trumpet -  its characteristic brightness and ebullient presence - as well as lesser-explored aspects of its character. An expressive, cantabile ‘Aria’ showcases its lyrical delicacy; the virtuosic ‘Praeludium’ and ‘Postludium’ offer opportunities for nimble passagework; a Baroque-inflected ‘Corrente’ (Courante) dances with fast steps and leaping gestures. It is cast in six movements unfolding in a single span.

Francisco Coll was seduced by the concept of the partita as a virtuoso instrumental piece that showcases all the possibilities of an instrument. The Los Angeles Philharmonic commissioned Partita I, for solo trombone; further explorations of the form for percussion, oboe, and flute will follow. Unlike Bach's more sustained examples of the form, Coll's Partitas vary from 3-5 minutes in length - a reflection of the fast-moving, compressed, and energised character of our times.