BIVALENCE XVII，for Two Trombones （2022）

The trombone was once used mainly in church music because of its majestic sound. However，ever since Beethoven made use of this quality in his Fifth Symphony，the expressive range of the instrument has gradually expanded. ‘Trombone’ literally means ‘large trumpet’，although the modern instrument is a direct descendant of the sackbut，which employs the same push and pull technique.
The present work forms part of a series of pieces I have been composing since 1997 for two identical instruments，beginning with cellos and then moving on to violins，violas，clarinets，oboes，double basses，percussion，saxophones，trumpets，mandolins，voices，harps，flutes，horns，recorders and bassoons. My aim in this piece has been to explore the possibilities of the trombone in an exhaustive manner. My initial inspiration came from K?sei Murata，who is an outstanding exponent of contemporary music. The idea was to make use of the full potential of two exceptional performers who have little scope to display their potential when tucked away at the back of the orchestra.