THE FILLING IN THE SANDWICH

BY JIM MAYNARD AND ROB BURTENSHAW

In the last few months not only did Rob Burtenshaw retire from the Orchestra of Opera North but Jim Maynard also stepped down from his long-held position playing Second Trombone with the London Symphony Orchestra. With over 65 years of experience between them this seemed like the perfect opportunity to ask them to shine a light on the role of the second trombonist in the orchestra.

What do you view as the role of the second trombonist in the orchestral section? What are you trying to achieve in relation to the rest of the section?

JM: I see the second trombonist as part diplomat, part ‘sandwich filling’, and should really be the ‘ears’ of the section in musical terms. This is more a ‘craft’ than creative (although both are possible!). As a teamplayer, rather than the leader in the section, you rely heavily on your ears and instincts (what is often referred to as ‘radar’) to copy, imitate and adapt your sound to support the first trombone, along with bridging the sound between first and bass. When the second player is doing the job properly, the first trombone should find their job easier, and in judging the balance correctly, the section sound should ‘ring’ … The diplomatic skills can come into play in many scenarios. For instance, some first trombonists might be very forthcoming regarding musical issues, or some may say very little … the skill is gauging when to facilitate more discussion and when to keep quiet! (not sure how well I did with that!?)

RB: I see the role of the second trombone as unifying the section. To link the bass and first trombone obviously, by filling out the section with having the right sound. That is something you have, or you develop – to be the meat in the sandwich (vegan options are available). Being diplomatic does come into it, in fact the section gave me an Olive Tree for my 50th birthday! Sometimes you have to choose when to go with the flow e.g. when there is an unheralded accelerando, or when not to have so much fun.

To do this you have to be super reactive, have great listening skills and exemplary tuning. You need to be at one with the first trombone; but don’t come in early! It can help to watch their slide here. Enjoy making a solid foundation with the bass trombone to make the first trombone’s job easier. Tuning and ensemble are easy in a good section, and I have had great times at Opera North, the RPO, and back in the Nineties, sitting between Ian Bousfield and Bob Hughes, it seemed like the easiest job in the world.

Can you share some of your highlights sitting in the second chair, favourite second trombone parts or corners to watch out for?

JM: My orchestral initiation began ’sandwiched’ between Ian Bousfield and Bob Hughes (not a bad start!) and surrounded by many of the musical heroes I frequently listened to as a student in London (such as Eric Cress, Patrick Harrild, Maurice Murphy …)

Ever since those formative orchestral experiences, I have been lucky enough to sit in between so many fantastic players, all of whom bring something different to the musical experience, along with many challenges as a second player; trying to match Dudley Bright’s sound in a Mahler Symphony, adapting to Katy Jones’ ‘chameleonic’ style and sound changes, keeping up with Peter Moore’s facility (and lung capacity!) and trying to create a sound to match the projection of Paul Milner’s low register! Of course, there have also been such a vast number of non-LSO musicians who I have been privileged to work with (too many to mention!)

There have been many highlights – here are a few,

which also encompass some of my favourite second trombone parts.

– Star Wars soundtracks with John Williams. – Debussy’s La Mer conducted by Valery Gergiev. – Berg’s Three Pieces conducted by Pierre Boulez, with both Ian Bousfield & Joe Alessi playing first. – Mahler’s Sixth Symphony with the Vienna Philharmonic and Zubin Mehta. – Backing Laura Mvula – Brahms’ Second Symphony with Bernard Haitink. – Playing with my musical hero, Wynton Marsalis. – Berlioz Operas conducted by Sir Colin Davis. – Backing Deep Purple – Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet with the Lithuanian Ballet and Mstislav Rostropovich. – Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Monteverdi Choir and Sir John Eliot Gardiner. – Bernstein’s On the Town conducted by John Wilson at the 2018 Proms, sitting between Peter Moore & Andy Wood!

Rather than parts or passages to watch out for, I would suggest that the two most important things to focus on are: • trying hard not to lose your facility as a second player, which can happen easily when stuck in quite a specific register in the orchestra. • always remaining alert as the ‘radar operator’ of the section and adapting to what you hear – always using your ears first!

RB: Some of my favourite moments have included Mozart’s Requiem with Gary Howarth and Bartok’s Danse Suite and Miraculous Mandarin: there’s an excellent fast linked section with the first trombone in the latter.

From the opera repertoire Britten’s Billy Budd and Peter Grimes, and Prokofiev’s For The Love of Three Oranges. Strauss’ Salome has a sudden technical flourish a bit like an extended version of that outburst in Elgar’s Froissart.

Second players seem to hold their seats much longer than principal or bass trombonists; do you think there is a reason for this?

JM: I wouldn’t for a second suggest that second players are lacking in ambition but might say that playing second does require quite a specific skill and sound quality. People that do this really well often devote a career to it. Perhaps in realising they are well suited to the position (and enjoying the buzz of being a ‘harmony instrument’), they become less likely to look elsewhere for different challenges(?) As individuals we are all suited to different things, and there are certainly first trombonists who are not suited to playing second (and vice versa)! RB: I’m not sure why that is, or how often that is true. Is it the lack of stress? You have to play simple things really well, and that requires much practice in the bank and appropriate warm-ups and tactics. Having a good section is essential, but then you have to continue to be an expressive musician, and practise beyond the current requirements.

A final question for Jim. After 23 years you recently left the LSO, what motivated that decision and what are your future plans?

JM: Deciding to leave a great orchestra such as the LSO is always a huge decision. A number of factors brought me to that point – a mixture of suffering with tinnitus, struggling with playing and then the Covid pandemic. When I took some time out to try to address these issues, the pandemic had already decimated the music industry. In my six months off I was involved in a number of creative education projects in the community with young people, adults and those with learning difficulties. This was a wonderful experience for me, full of joy and humanity (and the reward of immediate ‘feedback’ as a musician, whilst enjoying playing in a very different way). It also clarified some things I already knew at heart:

• I wasn’t really happy as an orchestral musician anymore • I was searching to be more creative (and had been for several years) • I should have made this move (on creative grounds) a number of years earlier.

I will always feel hugely grateful and privileged for the amazing musical experiences I have had over the last 25 years, travelling the world to so many different countries and cultures, but I realised I didn’t want that life anymore (23 years is a long time to stay anywhere!). It became apparent how important creativity is to me.

I had time to devote to something else I have always loved doing, writing music. Having been commissioned to write various works over the years, I now have time to concentrate properly on this and have begun publishing my own pieces, available from jimmaynardmusic.com and hope to do more of this, alongside my teaching, coaching and creative community projects. My most recent commission is a piece for Isobel Daws for Trombone & Piano which will be recorded (on the World of Brass label) and published in January 2022.

Although it might sound strange, I feel lucky that I have had these issues with tinnitus and playing, as they have been the catalysts for me moving in a different, more creative, direction. As a result, I am a much happier person. ◆