On April 11th, Alison Balsom introduced the UK premiere of Wynton Marsalis’ Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra alongside the London Symphony Orchestra, hailing it as the “most significant trumpet piece in two centuries.”
Originally premiered in 2023 by trumpeter Michael Sachs with the Cleveland Orchestra, Marsalis’ concerto has since graced stages in Verbier and with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. Notably, this marks the 62-year-old Marsalis’ debut in composing a major orchestral work for his own instrument. His previous compositions include a violin concerto for Nicole Benedetti and the Pulitzer-nominated jazz oratorio, “Blood on the Fields.”
Described as a virtuosic blend of jazz, blues, mariachi, and classical elements, the Marsalis trumpet concerto captivates with its diverse idioms. Opening with a triumphant elephant call, as demonstrated by Balsom, the concerto, though only a year old, seems poised to join the ranks of essential trumpet concertos alongside classics by Haydn and Hummel. For a glimpse, one can enjoy Håkan Hardenberg’s rendition with Christoph Eschenbach at last summer’s Verbier Festival.