Jimi Michiel

Heya Manny,
Any thoughts on performing etudes as concert pieces? Pianists do it all the time, but not so much luck for trumpeters (unless someone can unearth the long lost Chopin Trumpet Etudes...). Do you ever performed, or given thought to performing etudes?
While we're on the subject, do you know anything about Tomasi's 6 Etudes? They're the ones that the Triptique is based on. That's all I really know. I have an old copy and I'm trying to work them up for a recital performance, but haven't been able to find any background info.
Thanks,
Jimi

bigthemat

The Phil Smith Book of concert etudes are great. They are unaccompanied etudes, but are very very melodic and are a lot of fun to play. They get progressively harder as you go further into the book.

Also, what about the Geodicke concert etude?

trumpetgirl612

i have performed the Charlier transcendental etudes......

great fun!

Clarino

The thing about the piano is that it accompanies itself. The trumpet on the other hand is a single line instrument. If you just use one trumpet on it's own, you need a piece with an interest holding melody of a relatively short fanfare. Otherwise the audience will probably lose interest. Imagine playing H. L. Clarke's first Etude for a concert? I can't.

trumpetgirl612

well clarino, obvoiusly some would be better for this than others lol

blutch

Beautiful accompaniments have been recently written for the first 10 Charlier etudes. You can get them from Balquhidder Music.

http://www.balquhiddermusic.com/

Its a very well done book.. comes in both Bb and C for each etude.

MA

PH

One of my great musical memories is of Herseth playing "Quiet City" with the CSO in the mid-1970s. He was called back for an encore and did Charlier #2. It was absolutely breath-taking.

trumpetgirl612

hehe i LOVE #2!!!!

i played it for my college audition!

blutch

I have told this story on TPIN before, but think its worth repeating here...

In the mid 80s I was on the road in Europe with an opera company. I had a night off and was in Brussels. I heard that CSO was in Amsterdam. A college friend of mine, Rex Martin, was playing tuba with them on this tour because Mr. Jacobs wasn't healthy enough to do tours. He is now tuba prof at Northwestern. We were in college together, so I decided to surprise him and show up at his hotel.

I found him in the restaurant and just sat down at his table.. it was hilarious.. he had no idea I was even in Europe. After awhile Will Scarlet, George Vosberg and Bud ended up at that table. That was a hoot.

After lunch Rex said he wanted to go over the Concertgebouw to practice because he'd never played there.. so I went with him. I was sitting in the hall and Rex was on stage playing.. we were the only two there.

After about 15 minutes a door opened and there's Bud with his horn and he goes and sits in his seat. So, its me in the audience by myself and Rex in his chair sitting silently and Bud there to practice.

So, he picks up his horn and plays the Charlier #2.. straight down. They were the first notes of the day for him. It was stunning... a special moment for me that I will never forget. The finest orchestral trumpet player in the world in one of the finest concert halls in the world playing for just me. It was an AMAZING sound that is forever burned into my brain. He finishes the etude, stands ups says: "That works" and left.

I don't even remember what they played that night.. i think it was all Richard Strauss, but I'll never forget that Charlier. WOW.

MA

Anonymous

That is a great story!