Anonymous

Manny,

Can you tell us anything about that Alpine Symphony recording your orchestra did? Any stories? Some of those licks you play on that cd are so powerful and intense I can only imagine how many wood wind and string players had ear plugs in. What can you tell us about it. Did you feel like you were really nailing stuff? It is unbelieveable!

Mike

camelbrass

Interesting point. I'd love to hear Manny's memories as well.

I use that recording to remind myself how clear and precise playing in that octave should be..there is not one hint of strain in that sound. It is continually on my i-pod (from the original CD of course!!!). Actually I really enjoy the whole piece..it's very thematic with lots of musical imagery (I guess that's it whole point). The trumpets are powerful but blend into the whole orchestra and don't dominate those themes...one of my favourites.

Regards,

Trevor

Manny Laureano

Folks,

It's nice that so many people like that recording... when we were recording it I had no idea that it would make so many people happy. I remember hearing the playbacks and feeling pretty good about them.

As far as what it's like to play stuff like that well...

Have you ever hit a really hot fastball and not even felt that bat hit it because the bat speed was equal to or a little greater and you hit it on the fat part of the bat?

Okay, so.. like that.

ML

Anonymous

Manny were you using the same trumpet on both the Alpine recording and the Alpine licks you play on the Monette site?

Just curious.

Thanks,

Mike

Manny Laureano

Mike,

No, I recorded Alpine in the mid 80's. It was an STC 1 but the earlier Chicago version.

By the way, folks that like that recording should probably get ahold of the Copland 3 we did with Eiji in the mid 90s. That was done on the Ajna II and with a different company. The similarity is that neither company ever gave us mikes. Everybody had them but the trpts and bones.

ML

Anonymous

For some reason I thought that was done in the 90s. Not sure why. I own the Pictures recording and the Stravinsky with Oue. I'll have to check out that Copland! Where is Eiji Oue now?

davidquinlan

Where can one buy these CD's ?

Ta,

richtom

For those who have never seen the score to this monumental work, Strauss pushed every instrument to its limit. The third trumpet part is almost as difficult as the first and it too, goes up to a concert D.
Manny, Strauss wrote some very difficult trumpet parts. Can you rate the relative difficulty of each of his famous works?
Thanks,
Rich Tomasek

Manny Laureano

"Manny, Strauss wrote some very difficult trumpet parts. Can you rate the relative difficulty of each of his famous works?"

I can only speak to the orchestral works. His operas are among some of the trickiest writing there is as well as physically demanding.

Alpine Symphony has the greatest physical demands and Don Quixote follows for the demand of versatility. Ein Heldenleben and Symphonia Domestica, are even in my eyes. Death and Transfiguration and Don Juan should be thrown in as well to that group as slightly easier on the face.
Zarthustra is only difficult because of the legend that accompanies it. Those are the ones everyone knows. There are other less played works that can give one fits.

ML

robertwhite

"Die Frau Ohne Schatten" has got everything: high notes, really loud stuff, really REALLY soft stuff. Yikes.

It is an incredible thing to see though (the opera I mean. not the trumpet part!)