TrombaJuan

Manny - Thanks for all your wonderful advice. I lurk on the list all the time, and I really appreciate your teaching and wisdom.

Now my question...

How do you feel about 2nd trumpet parts in classical era symphonic music? Do you think that 2nd players should play the parts exactly as written? Do you think it's okay when the second player "adjusts" the part to make octaves when it is logical?

I understand being faithful to the score, but at the same time it seems to make sense that some parts should be down an octave in many classical 2nd trumpet parts. We all know the natural trumpet could not play certain pitches, and that's why the composers of that day wrote how they did. But is it going too far to change the 2nd trumpet parts in places?

Maybe it's the conductor's job to make this decision?

cornetguy

i do drop the octaves for the most part (there are exceptions to that) in the classical and early romatic parts. unless the conductor asks otherwise. it does give a fuller sound and in some cases intonation is better then in unison and when you are making jumps of a 12th it is obvious that it was due to the limits of the natural trumpet.

i do not in brahms. brahms had the valved instrument avalible to him and chose not to write for it. so he could have dropped the octaves and chose not to.

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