Manny Laureano

Last spring I had some of our UK friends weigh in on the British style of orchestral playing, the highly regarded players of their traditions, etc..

Now, it would be fun for us to hear directly from German and also Austrian players about those styles of playing. I'm am purposely being a bit careful not to refer to it as Austro/German playing because it is my sense that both countries have unique traditions even though they share the same language.

At any rate, please edify us about the unique qualities of interpreting the music of your respective traditions. I would ask that we get a few responses before we start to ask questions or chime in regarding posts from these players. Your questions might be answered before you post.

Thank you,

ML

Derek Reaban

I was hoping that there would be some takers on this post, but since no one has responded yet, I thought I would provide the one very visible distinction that I have seen between these two regions. I have some old laser disks of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. While both sections are playing with rotary trumpets, the way in which both sections hold the horns is very different.

It’s been quite a while since my Laser Disk player worked and I could watch these, but I believe that in Berlin they had three fingers from the left hand up over the bell, and the players from Vienna had only the pointer and third fingers over the bell.

Is there a tradition in these two cities about how to hold a rotary trumpet? Did one prominent player hold the horn differently in the past, and everyone opted to hold the horn like this player in order to “sound” more like him?

Just curious!


For Reference, these are the principal players from the Berliner Philharmoniker:

2004-Current_______Gábor Tarkövi
2000-Current_______Tamás Velenczei
1973-2004_________Martin Kretzer
1974-1998_________Konradin Groth
1951-1974_________Fritz Wesenigk
1950-1986_________Horst Eichler
ca.1944-1949_______Karl Rucht
1943-1945_________Adolf Scherbaum
1927-1943_________Paul Spörri
1913-1925_________Richard Stegmann
1894-1940_________Otto Feist (Principal until 1926)


And the principal players from the Wiener Philharmoniker:

1999-Current_______Gotthard Eder OK
1996-Current_______Hans Peter Schuh (1981-Current) OK
1982-1996_________Hans Gansch (1982-1996) OK
1975-1999_________Josef Pomberger (1975-2004) OK
1974-1992_________Walter Singer OK
1967-1975_________Adolf Holler OK
1939-1978_________Helmut Wobisch (1939-1978)
1951-1974_________Josef Levora OK (1934-1974) OK (First program as Principal 1951)
1934-1951_________Franz Dengler (1918-1955) OK (Last program as Principal 1949, Programs missing for 1950-1951)
1932-1934_________Wilhelm Wendt OK
1900-1930_________Max Schöniger (1900-1930)
1892-1911_________Franz Schuh (1892-1911)
1893-1909_________Adolf Stiegler (1888-1926) (Programs available for 1893 – 1909, Programs missing from 1909 – 1932)
1860-1893_________Archives Catalog of Membership only dates back to 1880
1842-1860_________Adalbert Maschek


I liked this quote I received from the person in Vienna who I was working with when trying to sort out who was on Principal:

“There is no special mentioning of principal trumpet players or any other instruments in such lists - as I remember the orchestra gave itself the title of a "democracy of kings" once - perhaps this title might help you understanding that everyone out of such lists could take the leading part at any time it is necessary.”

__________________
Derek Reaban
Tempe, Arizona