Rgale

I have played the Ravel Piece in the form of a habanera. I just love that one, since I heard the Dokshitzer recording. Can anyone else name specific pieces that work well?

mikeblutman

Dear pwillini,

Thanks for your contribution. From my observation of some of my favorite trumpeters, it seems like a lot of "well connected" players (musically, not in a mafioso way!) grew up playing along with hymns in church.

As far as music always being one in the same with the text, I believe that is a fair statement in the examples you've provided. However, when dealing with art songs, I think that differs quite a bit depending on the composer. Sibelius, for instance, wrote in a letter that the music to his songs are influenced by the text, but he tries to rather to depict the "landscape" or the mood of the text and can therefore be separated. Other composers are more text-painters and are inseparable from their texts. Reactions to Mr. Sibelius' statement about music being separated from, but influenced by, the text in his songs?

Mike Blutman

ecarroll

Rgale,

The Ravel Piece in the Style of a Habenera isn't a song or aria. It appears in the series of vocalises mentioned above.

Seriously, everyone. . . ask your librarian to locate the Hettich series. The Messiaen vocalise included is an early work and you won't find a more lovely piece of Impressionism to play on the trumpet.

Mike,

Interesting thoughts about "sound-painting" vs. text. Music, obviously, is filled with the former (starting as early as Vivaldi and, perhaps before). I'm personally more interested in the "musicality" of the text -- the pitch of the vowels and consonants coupled with rhythmic pentameter -- and how each composer enhances it. I remember Samuel Barber speaking of this somewhere (I'll try to find it).

Off topic, Garry Howarth's treatment of a fragment from Ligeti's Mysteries of the Macabre is discussed on another thread here. I love his injection of sprechstimme by both the pianist & trumpeter (HH, in that case) -- very dramatic and really catches the audience.

Returning to topic, Spanish Songs (particularly De Falla) seem to transcribe well, perhaps due to their characteristic, almost instrumental, flavor (?)

. . . still enjoying this thread. More, please?

Best,
EC