laurie

Gday all
Is it common practice for professional orchestras to use matching trumpets? Or do most players choose their own instrument? In orchestras that do use matching instruments, who makes the decision? The conductor, the principal player, the management team? Are decisions like this made on a purely artistic basis, or are they the result of commercial or sponsorship decisions?
Ive no idea how these things are decided, and Ive held back on posing the question as it appears rather trivial. But my relentless curiosity has got the better of me!
Cheers
Laurie

Derek Reaban

An All Schargerl Trumpet Section (where’s Manny?):


Minnesota Orchestra (Carlsen, Dorer, Lazarus)


Also have a look at this web page from the Schagerl web site. It looks like quite a few complete sections are playing these Rotary valve trumpets.


Manny,

Can you fill us in on the process in selecting these instruments for your section? How was the trip to Austria?


Chicago from a few years ago on Schagerl Rotaries:


Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Wright, Morris, Hagstrom)

Manny Laureano

Backstage playing his Prana 1.

It consisted of Bob calling the Schagerl guys up, having them pick us up at the train staion, taking us back to the shop, playing horns that he had set out for us, staking our respective claims (I got first pick ) and getting bavk to Vienna.

I love Vienna. Beautiful, historic, great food, good walking... world class city.

ML

ADziuk

Manny, I am assuming you have played a Monke before, as well as probably several of the other top of the line rotaries.

As mentioned, a lot of orchestras seem to be going to the Schagerl. Is there anything specific about them that you really like vs. other rotary horns? Just curious as someone who may soon be dropping a ton of $$ on one of these, and seeing as the Schagerl are about as expensive as you can possibly get.....

Also, which model are they? The Vienna, etc, or the heavy walled Vienna, or one of the other models? Also what key setups do you guys have?(sorry, thats a lot of questions)

Manny Laureano

Soundwise, they're kind of all the same to me. The schagerls seemed less clunky and smoother to manipulate. They work well with dave's mouthpieces and the movable sound post option helps me stabilize the pitch somewhat. Also, having the ability to manipulate the 1st slide was very helpful. I don't know which model i play. I never really took notice. Bob probably keeps better tabs on that sort of thing than i do. Doug, too, because he plays my horn these days as the one he was playing is out for plating.

ML

Rimshot

Out of idle curiosity, a question to Manny:

If not "encourged" to do so by members of the conductor horde, would you ever choose on your own to use a rotary in orchestra? And if so, on what?

(I promise to keep your answer quiet!)

Manny Laureano

Actually, no, I wouldn't play them, given the option. I'd rather change to a mouthpiece that gave a me a similar (maybe better?) sound that didn't affect intonation and blended with the horns and woodwinds in a more characteristic way for, say, Brahms and Bruckner to start. Then I might have something with just a bit more punch for Beethoven. That's what we did for the Bruckner 9th CD we put out with Skrowacewski.

ML

Vulgano Brother

Ouch!