Welcome to Harmonia… I’m Angela Mariani. This hour, we’re sounding the trumpet! The baroque trumpet, also called natural trumpet, is a long tube, sometimes with holes for tuning. There are no valves, so the trumpeter becomes an expert at changing sounds with lips and air alone. We’ll hear magnificent trumpets in virtuosic solo music and majestic choral and orchestral works from Monteverdi to Telemann. Plus, our featured release is Altissima: Works for High Baroque Trumpet with soloist Josh Cohen.
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MUSIC TRACK
Music for Trumpet & Orchestra
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra / dir. Jean Lamon / Crispian Steele-Perkins and John Thiessen, trumpets
Sony Classical 2015 / Naxos 886445145588
Heinrich Biber
Tr. 3 Sonata No. 1 a 8 in C Major (4:49)
Sonata No. 1 in C Major by Henirich Biber. Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, featuring trumpeter Crispian Steele-Perkins. / From the recording Music for Trumpet & Orchestra. / We’ll be hearing more from Tafelmusick a bit later.
Trumpets signal a call to action, alert, or celebration. Whether it’s on the battlefield, as instructed by Machiavelli in Art of War, or to shake us to our core in Handel’s “The Trumpet Shall Sound,” natural trumpets are especially powerful at commanding attention. We’ll begin this hour of heralding sounds with one of the most well-known trumpet openings, the Toccata that begins Monterverdi’s L’Orfeo.
MUSIC TRACK
Claudio Monteverdi: L'Orfeo
Aston Magna / dir. Daniel Stepner
Centaur 2008 / Naxos CRC2931-32
Claudio Monteverdi
Tr. 1 L'Orfeo: Toccata (1:42)
The opening Toccata to L’Orfeo by Claudio Monteverdi. The ensemble Aston Magna was directed by Daniel Stepner.
Before its use in the courts and Cathedrals of Europe, natural trumpet was used on the battlefield as a signal instrument. The natural trumpet used by players in the Renaissance and Baroque eras is still played today by historical performance practitioners. The instrument is made of a long brass tube coiled around one time—kind of like a paper clip--and doesn’t have valves. Modern replicas of period trumpets often have holes, though these do not function quite like valves. Let’s hear what they sound like: here’s “Concert de Trompettes” by Michel Richard Delalande.
MUSIC TRACK
Music for Natural Trumpets
University of Kentucky Baroque Trumpet Ensemble / dir. Jason Dovel / and John Foster, guest artist
New Branch Records (2018)
Michel Richard Delalande, arr. Jason Dovel
Tr. 6 Concert de Trompettes: I. Symphonies pour les soupers du Roy (1:06)
Tr. 7 Concert de Trompettes: II. Menuet avec les trompettes (1:11)
“Concert de Trompettes” by Michel Richard Delalande. Jason Dovel led the University of Kentucky Baroque Trumpet Ensemble with guest artist John Foster.
On the natural trumpet, the player creates a sound by buzzing through the mouthpiece, and changes pitches using air pressure and embouchure, or lip technique, alone. The instrument most readily produces the sounds contained in the natural harmonic series, which are intervals of octaves, 5ths, and 4ths. The smaller intervals or steps in the high range of the instrument are much more difficult to produce consistently, requiring masterful lip technique and a very high level of skill.
Here are two baroque trumpeters, Crispian Steele-Perkins and John Thiessen, performing Movement three from Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C Major.
MUSIC TRACK
Music for Trumpet & Orchestra
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra / dir. Jean Lamon / Crispian Steele-Perkins and John Thiessen, trumpets
Sony Classical 2015 / Naxos 886445145588
Antonio Vivaldi
Tr. 11 Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C Major, RV 537, III. Allegro (3:27)
The third movement from Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 Trumpets in C Major. Crispian Steele-Perkins and John Thiessen were the soloists with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra led by Jean Lamon.
On the topic of early trumpets, Thurston Dart’s 1954 book “the Interpretation of Music” features the somewhat dire prediction [quote] “Natural trumpet makes such merciless demands on a player’s lips and lungs that the special technique required has long fallen into disuse and there seems little chance of its ever being revived.” [end quote]. Fortunately, the subsequent two generations of early trumpet players’ response to this can be described with the phrase “Here, hold my beer.”
One of the most famous baroque works to feature natural trumpet pyrotechnics is Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto #2. Here is the third movement, featuring trumpeter Neil Brough, with the English Baroque Soloists, directed by John Eliot Gardiner.
MUSIC TRACK
Bach Brandenburg Concertos
English Baroque Soloists (Kati Debretzeni, John Eliot Gardiner)
Soli Deo Gloria 707
T.13: Concerto No.2 BWV 1047 In F major: Allegro Assai (2:33)
The third movement from Brandenburg 2, by J.S. Bach, played at lightning speed by the English Baroque Soloists, directed by John Eliot Gardiner. The trumpet soloist was Neil Brough, playing the valve-less natural trumpet.
Trumpets are most associated with narratives of power: battle and royalty. Composers often wrote for specific trumpeters. Bach wrote for Gottfried Reiche and Handel often worked with Valentine Snow, sergeant-trumpeter to George II. The instrument was notoriously difficult to master, and elite performers were highly sought-after by patrons and were very well paid. Here is “Let the bright Seraphim” from Handel’s oratorio Samson.
MUSIC TRACK
Sara Macliver: Seraphim
Orchestra of the Antipodes / Sara Macliver, soprano; Leanne Sullivan, trumpet
ABC Classics 2012 / Naxos 196292178555
George Frideric Handel
Tr. 1 Samson, HWV 57, Act III: Let the bright Seraphim in burning row (5:09)
“Let the bright Seraphim,” from Handel’s oratorio Samson. Soprano Sara Macliver and trumpeter Leanne Sullivan performed with the Orchestra of the Antipodes.
Early music can mean a lot of things. What does it mean to you? Let us know your thoughts and ideas. Contact us at harmonia early music dot org, where you’ll also find playlists and an archive of past shows.
You’re listening to Harmonia . . . I’m Angela Mariani.
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MIDPOINT BREAK MUSIC
Music for Trumpet & Orchestra
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra / dir. Jean Lamon / Crispian Steele-Perkins and John Thiessen, trumpets
Sony Classical 2015 / Naxos 886445145588
Handel
Excerpt of Tr. 22 Handel: Judas Maccabaeus, HWV 63, Part III: See, the conqu'ring hero comes! (arr. for orchestra) (excerpt of 1:31)
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Welcome back. We’re focusing this hour on the early trumpet.
The trumpet is mentioned throughout the Bible in moments of astonishment and mystery, terror, and joy. Naturally, then, composers have used the instrument to underline critical moments of sacred oratorios, for Easter and throughout Advent and Christmas. The power and splendor of the Christmas story in particular is often expressed by trumpets at moments of majesty. We’ll hear the opening of the final chorale in Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, “Now you are well avenged.”
MUSIC TRACK
J.S. Bach Christmas Oratorio
Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble / dir. Eric Ericson
Proprius 2001 / Naxos PRCD2012-13
Johann Sebastain Bach
CD 2, Tr. 29: Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248, Part VI: Chorale: Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen (chorus) (4:07)
We heard the closing movement from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Eric Ericson directed the Drottningholm Baroque Ensemble.
More than two hours into Handel’s Messiah, after the audience has enjoyed the “Halleluiah chorus,” comes the heart of the oratorio: [quote] “The trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised, incorruptible.” Handel sets this crucial text with two powerful sounds: bass soloist and solo trumpet. In some performances, the trumpeter plays from the pulpit, as if to take over the role of evangelist while the singer remains in front of the orchestra, next to the conductor. This is Apollo’s Fire, “The trumpet shall sound,” with baritone Jeffrey Strauss and trumpeter Barry Bauguess.
MUSIC TRACK
Handel: Messiah
Apollo’s Fire/ Jeannette Sorrell, director
Avie AV2208 (2010)
D. 2, T. 18: The Trumpet Shall Sound (8:39)
“The Trumpet Shall Sound” from Handel’s Messiah, sung by baritone Jeffery Strauss, with trumpeter Barry Bauguess, from the 2010 recording of the Messiah by Apollo’s Fire, directed by Jeanette Sorrell.
We’ll continue with the majestic sound of the natural trumpet for our featured release, Altissima: Works for High Baroque Trumpet, featuring trumpeter Josh Cohen. The album features some of the most virtuosic works written for the instrument.
MUSIC TRACK
Altissima: Works for High Baroque Trumpet
Josh Cohen, trumpet / Ensemble Sprezzatura & Daniel Abraham
Chaconne 2023 / CHAN 0828
Georg Phillip Telemann
Tr. 21 Concerto in D Major for Trumpet, Two Oboes and Basso Continuo (TWV43: D7), IV. Vivace (5:04)
We heard the closing movement, Vivace, from Telemann’s Concerto in D Major for Trumpet, Two Oboes, and Basso Continuo. That was from our featured recording, Altissima: Works for High Baroque Trumpet with trumpeter Josh Cohen. Ensemble Sprezzatura was led by Daniel Abraham.
Johann Samuel Ender studied in Leipzig and eventually worked for the court of Darmstadt. His Sinfonia à 7 was likely written for the hunting castle at Kranichstein. The opening Allegro contains many, many high Fs—the same high F we heard earlier in the program in the third movement of Bach’s Brandenburg 2—and also the famous high note, sung here at A-440 modern concert pitch by soprano Diana Damrau, that occurs at the famous high point in the “Queen of the Night” aria from Mozart’s Magic Flute.
MUSIC CLIP
Excerpt Tr. 6 Mozart: Die Zauberflote, K. 620, Act 2: Queen of the Night Aria. “Der Holle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” (Konigin) (excerpt of 3:02)
High F is stratospheric at either modern or Baroque pich, and is just one example of the virtuosic demands on the trumpeter in the following Sinfonia by Johann Samuel Ender. This is the opening movement, Allegro.
MUSIC TRACK
Altissima: Works for High Baroque Trumpet
Josh Cohen, trumpet / Ensemble Sprezzatura & Daniel Abraham
Chaconne 2023 / CHAN 0828
Johann Samuel Ender
Tr. 13 Sinfonia à 7, CobE 13 for Trumpet, Two Horns, Violin, Oboe, Bassoon, Timpani, Strings, and Basso Continuo, I. Allegro (4:35)
Sinfonia à 7 by Johann Samuel Ender, the première recording of the piece on period instruments. Ensemble Sprezzatura was led by Daniel Abraham with trumpet soloist Josh Cohen on their 2023 release Altissima: Works for High Baroque Trumpet.
Let’s close with a dance—here is Ciaccona by Moravian composer Philip Jakob Rittler.
MUSIC TRACK
Altissima: Works for High Baroque Trumpet
Josh Cohen, trumpet / Ensemble Sprezzatura & Daniel Abraham
Chaconne 2023 / CHAN 0828
Philip Jakob Rittler
Tr. 22 Ciaccona à 7 for Two Trumpets, Violin, Three Violas, Cello, and Keyboard (4:15)
Ciaccona for 7, by Philip Jakob Rittler, from our featured release this hour, Altissima: Works for High Baroque Trumpet by Ensemble Sprezzatura, with trumpeter Josh Cohen.
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Harmonia is a production of WFIU and part of the educational mission of Indiana University.
Support comes from Early Music America: a national organization that advocates and supports the historical performance of music of the past, the community of artists who create it, and the listeners whose lives are enriched by it. On the web at EarlyMusicAmerica-dot-org.
Additional resources come from the William and Gayle Cook Music Library at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
We welcome your thoughts about any part of this program, or about early music in general. Contact us at harmonia early music dot org. You can follow us on Facebook by searching for Harmonia Early Music.
The writer for this edition of Harmonia was Sarah Schilling.
Thanks to our studio engineer Michael Paskash, and our production team: LuAnn Johnson, Wendy Gillespie, Aaron Cain, and John Bailey. I’m Angela Mariani, inviting you to join us again for the next edition of Harmonia. (1:00)
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