Tromba1030

What is the "must have" recording of this work? I am working on it now with my teacher who does not have a recording that he likes very much so I am wondering what piano/trumpet comibnation everyone likes.

-Jacob

wiseone2

Which versions of the Concerto does he have?
Wilmer

MahlerBrass

I didn't know there were different versions but I have a recording of the LA Chamber Orchestra with Anthony Plog playing the trumpet part and it's an awesome recording, I swear by it. The CD also includes the Soldier's Tale as a nice added bonus.

Tromba1030

I am not positive which recording he has but he told me that there was not enough trumpet which he found somewhat disappointing. I would want to hear a version with a decent amount of trumpet as it is a solo part.

-Jacob

wiseone2

How are YOU going to play it is the question Understated? Martial? I recently played the work. The Sotto Voce mute is a nice option in the slow movement.
I have heard of a player using a cup mute in the slow movement.
Lots of things to play around with.
Wilmer

Hags888

I have a great story about the cup mute and this piece. Ray Mase told me this story while he was in Minneapolis for a mini-residency that we hired the ABQ to do. It's hilarious...and will make you think twice about using cup mute!

Apparently, he was set to play this piece at a summer music festival (Tanglewood I think?). This was when he was still playing with the New York City Ballet. He mentioned the piece and the concert to a trombone player in the ballet, and the trombone player replied, "Oh yeah, I remember an article in ITG about that piece...something about shostakovich envisioning the darker sound of a cup mute in the second movement." So, Ray of course, took the advice and played the cup mute during the rehearsal. The conductor (Boulez? It was somebody famous...) asked Ray about the choice of cup mute, and Ray responded, "Yeah, there has been some recent scholarship suggesting the appropriate use of mute on this piece is the cup mute." The conductor didn't question it, and Ray played the concert with a cup mute. It was all the rave and since "Ray Mase" played it on cup mute, of course, everyone else had to do the same (he said it in this way to me). Anyway, he got back to NY, and was back in the ballet and mentioned the concert to this trombone friend. He thanked him for the advice with the cup mute and thought it really worked out well.

That's when the trombone player burst out laughing. "What!? You actually used a cup mute? Man, I was just kidding...there was no article written about that! Look it up!" Ray couldn't believe it.

So, to cup mute or not to cup mute?

mahaberio

I really like the BT Scottish Ensemble/Sophia Rahman/John Wallace recording of it. The playing is phenomenal.

wiseone2

I wasn't going to name names
Wilmer

Manny Laureano

Jeezaloo, I love stories like that. In conducting there are myriad little traditions that don't have any more basis in fact than that one yet people persist in upholding them.

Yeah, I think straight mute is the way to go. If you want to hear Beethoven's 5th played without the massive ritardandi that became the fashion in the early part of the 20th century come hear Osmo do it in Carnegie next week. We played it last night and it's such a pleasure. We're playing on the Schagerl rotaries, the bones are doing the alto, non-trigger tenor and light bass trombone thing.

(Cue music)
A trumpeter with a mute... sounds crazy,no? But in our little town of TM each one of is a trumpeter with a mute trying to play a pleasant tune without losing his job.

It isn't easy...

So, why do we use a mute if it's so dangerous? THAT I can tell you with one word: Tradition!

(Boom, chicka, boom, chick...(( continue vamp ))

Everything we do has a tradition... how to play, how to practice, how to wear a tux. For example, every morning each of us grabs a horn and plays long tones. This shows our constant devotion to Ch-ps. How did this tradition get started?

I don't know.

But it's a tradition!

And because of these traditons each of knows who he is and what Ch-ps expects him to do!

TRADITION-N-N-N, TRADITION... TRADITION!

Who, day and night must practice for a living,
Play through every scale, and play through every chord?
And who has the right, as leader of the band,
To figure out what charts to play?

THE JAZZER-R-R-R, THE JAZZER... THE JAZZER! (Repeat)

Who's the one obsessing with the long tone drills?
The Arban book and F-G trills?
Who's the one who has no social life at all
Because he cannot find his excerpt book?

LEGIT GUY-Y-Y-Y-Y, LEGIT GUY... LEGIT GUY! (Repeat)

At ten I started Music school, at twelve I learned to play
My dad just bought a horn for me,
I hope... it's pretty!

BEGINNER-R-R-RS, BEGINNERS.... BEGINNERS! (REPEAT)

And who just learned to preach
About those scales and chords?
Preparing kids to play
On horns they can't afford?

THE TEACHER-R-R-S, THE TEACHERS... THE TEACHERS!

So, without these traditons to help keep a balanced embouchure our lives would be as dangerous as... as... as a trumpeter with a mute!

(Boom)

The above is dedicated to Tony Kadleck and Wilmer Wise. Thanks for all the great shows you've each played!

(If the above made NO sense whatsoever to you... you need to stop practicing and get out more)

ML

tpter1

Manny-



Is this the little boy who struggled
To get the note above a G?
Is this the boy who could not buzz?
Is this the little boy who never
Could read well?
I did not notice him get better
But he did...

Horn up, horn down; horn up, horn down
Quickly go the notes.
One school year following another
Laden with solo fests and grades.