The Polar Light
1. Improvements:
a) Generations of trumpeters had to "lip up" the Ds, which are flat on almost every trumpet I’ve played so far. This trumpet should have an extended tube at the end of the first valve slide (just like on a third valve slide without water key), that can be pushed in over a small hook (or s.th. similar) by the left thumb. It should go back into place automatically, moved by a small spring.
b) I don’t know whether you already do so, and it is not my own invention, but the first and third valve should have little holes in them, so that the slides can be operated without pressing the valves down (and without that “plop” noise).
2. Theme: "Polar Light"
Polar lights are breath-taking beautiful, yet their performance is silent, making their image a perfect companion for a music instrument, paticularly a trumpet. It is versatile, of divine beauty and, as music, disappears physically after the performance (but remains in your heart!). My girlfriend lives in Finland (hi Noel!), and I remember how much inspiration I got from viewing "my first polar light" in Finland, and how it still affects my playing when I’m thinking of it. In addition, this theme is very suitable to be taken up into the design of e.g. the braces between bell and leadpipe, and it has many ornamental possibilities in itself.
This is how I would want the trumpet to look and sound like:
http://www.tboeckel.de/EFSF/efsf_ps/nord_2002/i28_c.jpg http://www.tboeckel.de/EFSF/efsf_ps/nord_2002/i59_c.jpg http://www.tboeckel.de/EFSF/efsf_ps/nord_2002/i20_c.jpg http://www.tboeckel.de/EFSF/efsf_ps/nord_2002/i29_c.jpg http://www.tboeckel.de/EFSF/efsf_ps/nord_2002/i39_c.jpg http://www.tboeckel.de/EFSF/efsf_ps/nord_2002/i66_c.jpg
Furthermore, this phenomeneon comes directly from the sun, brought into the dark... very suitable for an “Eclipse” trumpet!
3. Short story
I wanted my girlfriend to participate in this, as she is somehow responsible for the theme I chose. So I asked her to write a short story about the trumpet/ trumpeters, and here it is: a story from the other point of view...
"How is it to live with a trumpeter or in the world of trumpets without having any clue of these things? It can be exciting but only if you are curious and open-minded. Otherwise you will get bored very fast. Trumpeters are very unique persons and if you get to know one so think carefully before you get involved with him.
In case you really fall in love with a trumpeter your life will be full of wonderful music experiences. I remember many like big-band concerts and one concert in Düren (Germany) in which also Steven Mead (a great euphonium player from England) participated. It was a great experience to get to know him and his wonderful playing with my trumpeter. I still can remember the great atmosphere on that evening. How it was to hold my trumpeter´s hand and feel his excitement and how he was feeling mine while talking to Steven Mead. I´m so happy afterwards to have been with in this unforgettable concert together with my trumpeter. Such music experiences can be very special when you can share them with someone who loves music and for whom it has become an essential part of his life.
Well, there are some other sides, too, in living with a trumpeter. Unfortunately you need to be warned if you expect from your trumpeter that you are always the most important one in his life. It isn´t that way at all because there will always be this third one who you have to share your trumpeter with. Most of the day he only thinks about this third one. He spends e.g. plenty of time for getting to know new mouthpieces that he then gives his darling while you are knitting woolen socks for your trumpeter. When he tells you what a wonderful new mouthpiece he has found for his darling so don´t think that this new find would be the last one. There will also be the next time when he tells you the same thing. And you have to wonder again and again what is wrong with the mouthpiece he just bought.
A real trumpeter takes his instrument everywhere he goes. Even when he flies by the aeroplane to visit his girlfriend in another country like Finland. But if the girlfriend happens to have a sauna he will practice there during the visit. Well, if you´ve got used to these weird ideas you won´t be surprised even at the idea of practicing in the sauna. Maybe the trumpeters hit the highest sounds only in such weird places.
I love trumpeters. They can be a real adventure because of their lifestyle that is so much different to many ordinary people´s. Even their eating habits may be weird. But I´ve learnt to love bread with egg and ketchup."
This was in the email I got today, and I didn't change anything. (I hope that we don't get disqualified for working together, but I found no rule against working in a team.)
4. Why I should win?
The obvious reason: The "polar light" trumpet would be the most beautiful trumpet ever built! (I count on you, Leigh!)
Honestly, I fell so in love with this concept that I'll probably pay you to realize it (I'm a student, so it will take some years to get the money together...) It's up to you to decide wether this is an argument for or against me!