Siegtrmpt

I certainly agree with your post, especially as it applies to aspiring pros and advanced students. It's those young people who are struggling with which button to press or who find reading music without transposition difficult that I'd like to reach earlier with orchestral music.

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Bill S.- NY Bach 6, 38 Mt. Vernon 43 Bach "C" cornet, NY Bach trombone 6vii Monette mouthpieces

Manny Laureano

6pk,

For me, sound is the biggest consideration. If a lick is only slightly easier on a smaller instrument, I'll opt for a bigger horn to match the rest of the orchestra. If it really makes my life easier, i'll go for the smaller sound if i can make it work within the context.

An example would be the Chocolate solo from the Nutcracker. It's a flashy, sparkling piece which works PERFECTLY on the Eb trumpet. Can I play it just fine on the C? Yes, but there's a nice security on the Eb that lets you "Mendez" the solo up a bit. Also, I have an Eb that sounds like most people's C trumpets so, there's that. I use the same Eb for the Rite of Spring because I think the sound of that part should equal the other C trumpets in the section.

I don't generally like hauling a bunch of horns onto stage. At some point later in my career I may change my mind. Our responsibility is to the music and the audience. They come to our concerts, pay good money, and expect a good show where they can relax and enjoy, not cringe and worry about every trumpet entrance.

ML

Rimshot

Yes, rampant cringing and worrying in the audience is an ugly thing to see up close, but as long as there are extras playing Wagner tubas in Bruckner symphonies, you trumpet players have little to worry about.

I know you've mentioned this before, but what is that magic Eb you play (I mean, what is that Eb you play so magically)?

Manny Laureano

Well, fortunately the extras in this town play Wagner tuben exquisitely, they really do. My eb is a Portland monette that I bought used from Mike Thompson at Thompson music. Gzent and Zeller and Wrbandel heard me play it last year. You can PM them and ask them what they thought.

By the way, what instrument do you play, Rimshot? From your post, i gathered you don't play trumpet.

ML

Rimshot

"My eb is a Portland monette "

OK, so not a casually affordable item for us dabblers. (Yes, I would describe myself as a professionally trained, backsliding amateur these days... actually majored in the blacks arts of composition, which of course cannot be taught so that was a waste--at least Bartok agreed with that notion...toying with reactivating some of those ambitions: maybe a trumpet concerto....?)

B15M

If you are opting for the bigger horn, why not play B flat?

Manny Laureano

Because we're a section of C trumpets and at that's the easiest way to go in American orchestras unless the repertoire demands it.

ML

6pk

Thanks Manny, thats a fantastic insight. It's amazing we have the opportunity to ask you these questions. Thanks again, it's incredibly useful and I've learnt a lot!

6pk

PINCHUNO

With all due respect to the professionals in the "classical" field, we are in 2006 now and with all the professional copyists and notation software there is out there, I really do think that there is no need for transposition, or fading hard to read parts nowadays. Obviously there are parts for certain trumpets in certain keys that have to be respected, for stylistic and tonal reasons, but at least the parts should be in hte right key also, to make the job at hand more enjoyable.
Don't get me wrong, transposition should have to be studied, but it shouldn't carry as much weight as it does.
It's like a lot of the terminology used in classical harmony. The German/Italian sixth. Who actually says that? Why not, a type of augmented chord and the Neapolitan sixth really kills me! Why not the flat 2 chord? It's time to move on. Jazz and modern terminology is much more descriptive and to the point. "What chord is that? oh a dominant 7th with the flat 5 and sharp 9? ok."
I have played many gigs (in the commercial world) where I have often ended up taking away the parts and printing them out myself for ease of reading. But now it seems that most people have gotten their act together and use notation software to produce good quality scores. It does make the gig a lot easier if you can actually read the charts to start with!

Benjamin

PINCHUNO,

I have to respectfully disagree. Once you put everything in one key, our brain will stop working. Transposition will become a lost art, just like true figured bass reading. Very few are preserving the ability, and the ones who do deserve a lot of praise.

I find myself always choosing the original notation when the original is presented with the transposed part. There is something about playing a piece with the orginial transposition that really helps me get into the zone of playing the piece along with the added practice of transposing. Besides, something has to keep us on our toes while we are counting 235 bars of rest while we wait for our next chordal cadence.

Ben

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Benjamin E. Browne
National Radio Symphony (SODRE) - Uruguay
Filarmonica de Montevideo
Escuela Universitaria de Música-Universidad de la Republica - Uruguay