rowuk

Manny,
you are right, in Bruckners day they probably authentically split more notes.... and didn't kill as many people doing it!
My Prana B2D mouthpiece works very well, the normal B2 is not in tune.
Sunday we have a Mahler 8 rehearsal, I am going to experiment a bit. The Bb rotary is MUCH more secure!

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

k0elw

Getzen used to make a 300 series F alto trumpet (not to be confused with frumpets, which use a french horn mouthpiece) . They show up on Ebay from time to time, usually mislabeled. A few years ago I got one for ~$150.00. I don't know how close an approximation this beast is of the 19th century orchestral low F trumpets. I think they (the Getzens) may have been tried as a replacement for french horn in marching bands. It uses a "conventional" trumpet mouthpiece; (bigger seems to work better, i.e. a Schilke 22).

It is difficult to center in the upper register with any volume. I find it relaxing to practice in its lower and middle register, using Getchell Studies as written and Clarke Technical Studies. Practicing on this seems to have resulted in better security of attack in the lower register when I play on Bb or C trumpets.

Pressing the 1st and 2nd valves down puts it in D; giving you a "gnatural trumpet" in D for all your favorite baroque tunes. The bell however is considerably larger than the bells of "real" gnatural trumpets.

-Ellis

rowuk

I had one of those Getzens, it is a "student" quality instrument and you are right about its upper register. In a marching band it could also be used instead of an alto horn/french horn to keep the sound energy moving in the direction that you are marching.
The real reason is that nobody used to want to play french horn parts, so they just declared them to be F-trumpet parts. Something for the offbeat trumpet players without high chops?

__________________
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.

k0elw

Isn't that the definition of a french horn player?

-Ellis

tromj

But keep in mind that an F Alto trumpet is not the same as an F orchestral trumpet. It's a different bore configuration. A real bastardized instrument, basically. There are a bunch of good essays on the subject on the Antique Sound Workshop web site.

__________________
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Monette B1-5M, B1-5F, B1-5D cornet, Stork 3P, Monette C1-5M

trumpetmike

As an additional point of possible interest - some of the music for the recent Lord of the Rings films were performed on F trumpets.

Certainly interesting to read other people's views on the more unusual pitch instrument.