GordonH

[I just posted this on another forum as a response to someone elses comments, so I thought I would repost it here]


I just re-listened to the over 30 albums I have of his in chronological order and I have decided that his best years were 66 to 88 with 91 to 97 being a close second. Prior to 66 his sound was definitely thinner and brighter.

The reason I listened to them all again was to try and work out why I keep going back to his recordings and not those of all the other trumpet players I have. I finally realised why:

He is not just following a nice line of melody.
Each phrase he plays has its own internal structure and line to it.
Each note within the phrase is played purposefully rather than being a footnote to something more important thats coming up in the melody. Each note has its own internal shape of attack and vibrato and decay and this is different for every note depending on where it is placed in the melody and what its purpose is.

What I have learned from this is that each note is important not just the end of phrases or the big tunes. This has had an effect on my orchestral playing. Even in symphonies where there is hardly any trumpet part I am now very concious of making each note count.
I may only have three notes in a piece but I want them to have a purpose withing the overall orchestration.

"Make each note count" is my motto now.

rowuk

Gordon,
MA also had a great deal of excitement in every note. I agree with your ascessment of his playing between 1966 and 1988. After 1990 I stopped going to his live concerts, I couldn't get out of the analytical, critical mode and he was too big of an influence on me to allow for disappointment.
The thing that I found most amazing was his sound and power of phrasing, it wasn't just make every note count, but make every note lead somewhere too.
One does not have to try to imitate his style to incorporate his sense of direction and values. He is truly one of the greatest trumpeteers EVER. Spending time with his recordings can teach us many things!
My favorite was his album called "Trumpetissimo" also called "Joyride" with organ, bass and drum set. There is so much JOY in that playing. I know of nothing comparable!

If I am not mistaken, 1966 was the beginning of his career with the Bb/A picc. I have a recording from the 50s with a D trumpet and the sound is definitely thinner.

oj

It was in 1963 he won the Munich prize. (He was 30 years old in 1963, when he was asked to become a member of the jury in the "Internationalen Wettbewerb in München". He then discovered that he could take part in the competition and he did and won the first prize.)

This (after 1963) was the start of his solo-career.
His wife was pushing him. MA was happy being an orchestral musician. He played in major French orchestras such as Philharmonique del la R.T.F (the Paris Radio Orchestra) (1953 -1962), Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux. (1953 -1960), and the orchestra of the Opéra-Comique in Paris (1962 -1967). He also played in smaller more jazz-oriented groups.

From 63 to 66 he kind of built himself as a soloist. He also was the trumpet star with Karl Richter in these years (doing a lof of Bach's works).

Good timing also in regards to recording (the LP format)

Ole