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Originally Posted by rowuk  Dr Z.,
a truly GREAT post! As to if the audience even cares, I dare say YES if historic intonation models are used. Most casual listeners that I know, consider mean tuning for instance to be "out of tune"! |
Thank you so much, I sincerely appreciate your recognition. However with regard to audiences I must beg to differ - only because I'm speaking from an American vantage point. As of yet, and in general, American audiences have viewed early music/period instruments as more of a gimmick than a legitimate representation of historical music. Though this is gradually changing. If you think about it it only stands to reason - instruments such as the cornetto and natural trumpet (and others) really are irrelevant to the American musical conscience (as is much of their repertoire - St. John Passion, Orfeo in English is the way to go. Heaven forbid an audience not be able to understand the words!). they have no place in our musical heritage so of course they are seen as gimmicks. Talk about frustrating from a players stand point; when you put on a wonderful chamber program of 17c church and instrumental music and get twelve people in the audience! Larger ensembles draw more because they have larger advertising budgets and can draw on the crowd that need to be seen as well as the modest yet growing cognoscenti. Remember the american "classical" musical conscience is largely that of the light classics, tunes from musicals and opperettas and the like as established in the late 19th century. Symphonies and the like considerably less so if at all. (any wonder why Andre Rieu is so popular?!!)Thankfully however there are cognoscenti out there, and it is a growing demographic. That's what is making early music float in America. Nevertheless instruments like the natural trumpet and the cornetto will remain a curiosity - I guess its our cross to bear - "what's that? a wooden trumpet?" Yeah, something like that. As I said people know what they like and they like what they know. For the time being the incorporation of period instruments into the orchestra should only be done surreptitiously: where practical and unobtrusively and only if they can fit in with regard to intonation etc - depends on the players - look how successful Doug Yeo has been. Careful though, just because you are a trumpet player doesn't mean you CAN play the baroque trumpet. One hopes one would have the good sense to realize where one falls in that regard.
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Originally Posted by rowuk As far as instrumentation, it would be a considerable widening if the Bb trumpet were simply used more often, the brazen big band sound is VERY useful in things like Bernsteins Symphonic Dances from West Side Story and the like. Pieces depicting heaven and hell, like Mozarts Requiem could be an EASY intro to the nat for the busy symphonic player. I guess the goal needs to be more timbral diversity instead of absolute security if this is to work though. Arguments about why this and that don't work seem to be more "excuses" than reasons. |
I'm a big advocate for greater use of Bb in the orchestra. Why must it sound brazen? I know it can and is appropriate in places, but it doesn't have to, only if you play it that way. I know its not necessarily easy, but who said it was supposed to be? Take the Maurice Murphy, didn't he use mostly Bb?
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Originally Posted by rowuk The Royal Academy in London requires the nat as part of a trumpet major. That lets me believe that at least some of the next generation of players will be better prepared to offer more sonic diversity than the present players holding positions. |
That's truly wonderful. (However I'll reserve my aversion for most of the english baroque trumpet players - though I have tremendous respect for what they accomplish technique wise)
Forgive me if I seem to pontificate, i've just become jaded in my old age thats all. I look forward to further discussion.
Dr.Z