Selected Duets For Trumpet Podcast

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 20 Number 16, Processional, performed by David Summer. A processional is generally a slow march tune. Think of the "Bridal March" or "Pomp and Circumstance". The tempo marking "maestoso", meaning march-like, reflects this. A processional is also thought of as stately, dignified and majestic. This processional has two sections and, with the second repeat omitted, follows an AABA musical pattern. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 92.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 18 Number 15, Lustily, performed by David Summer. This is another duet with an interesting tempo marking, open to interpretation. I'm taking this one to mean "with exuberance". Call and response sections are another feature, along with a poco allargando tempo marking at the end. "Poco allargando" generally means to get a bit slower and broader. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 126.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 18 Number 14, Allegretto, performed by David Summer. Here is another duet that changes time signature midway through the piece. This time the composer is Walrad Guericke and the duet is probably from his collection of duets for two recorders. The 2/4 section of the duet is written in a style that is in marked contrast to the first section (in 3/4). The 2/4 section has a jagged sound that is amplified by the use of an ascending grace note in the first and third measures as well as several measures of staccato eight notes. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 100.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 17 Number 13, Allegro, performed by David Summer. This third, and last, duet by Metger is fairly complex rhythmically when both trumpet parts are played together. It’s rare to see the rhythm pattern "dotted-eighth, sixteenth, eighth" played against 3 eighth notes for example, as occurs more than once here. The duet also changes meter from 6/8 to 4/4, with the quarter note in the new meter equal to the dotted quarter in the previous meter. All of this can prove challenging to the student, but provides the teacher with a good opportunity to introduce changing meters and to show how the time change is marked to make the transition smooth. This type of meter change happens frequently in musicals, especially in dance sections. The metronome setting for this performance is dotted quarter note = 96.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 16 Number 12, Merrily, performed by David Summer. This second duet by Metger, while not strictly a cannon, contains many imitative passages. It's a happy sounding duet, clearly living up to it's tempo marking, "Merrily". Again, since the second trumpet part is rhythmically different from the first trumpet and is often "just behind" the first trumpet, a student can find this duet a special challenge to play with the teacher. But, that's partly what this podcast is about. If you're seeing this description on iTunes, or another podcast reader, check out the trumpet podcast page on the summersong website, www.summersong.net, for second trumpet play along parts to all of these deuts. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 126.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 15 Number 11, Allegro non troppo, performed by David Summer. Like a previous duet this is a "cannon", a musical imitation. It's titled simply Allegro non troppo, meaning fast, but not too fast. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 120.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 14 Number 9, Larghetto, performed by David Summer. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is not a name you often see associated with the trumpet. Mozart's works for wind instruments concentrated on the flute and clarinet. This duet was likely originally a duet for one of those instruments. Of course Mozart, firmly in the classical period, is probably most famous for his operas. Larghetto, the de facto title of this duet, is a tempo marking meaning a bit faster than Largo. It's often a challenge for a student to maintain a steady, slow tempo. I've found that generally students will have a tendency to start to speed up, particularly when reaching the second half of the duet, where the second trumpet's rhythm is much different from that of the first trumpet. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 76.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 13 Number 8, Chorus from Preciosa, performed by David Summer. Carl Maria von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic. He was one of the first composers of the Romantic school of music. Von Weber is probably best known for his operas and his works for Clarinet. This duet is taken from the Chorus section of Preciosa Op. 78, an Overture for soloist, chorus and orchestra. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 100.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 12 Number 7, Gigue, performed by David Summer. A Gigue is an energetic dance, in a fast 6/8. This is a lively baroque dance form that originated from the British jig. It was imported into France in the mid-17th century and usually appears at the end of a suite. Like many of the previous duets in 6/8, this one is played "in 2" by playing at a fast tempo and accenting the first and fourth beats of each measure. The metronome setting for this performance is dotted quarter note = 92.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 12 Number 6, Adagio, performed by David Summer. Simply entitled Adagio, this 18th Century duet can prove a challenge for students in a several areas. First is keeping a steady tempo at this slow tempo. Students are prone to rush, especially when playing the 1st trumpet solo passages. Next are the 32nd notes that occur in the 3rd beat in several measures. I sometimes instruct my students to think of these are if they were grace notes, which they may well have been in the original version of this piece. Also slurring these 32nd notes may challenge the student, particularly as they occur in an ascending passage. The advice I give here is to make a slight "flick" of the tongue, while making sure to maintain the air stream, when you get to these notes. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 72.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 12 Number 5, Menuet, performed by David Summer. This duet is entitled "Menuet". It's a spelling variation on the word "Minuet". As previously noted, a minuet is a social dance of French origin, for two people, in 3/4 time. This minuet follows the classic early form, with two sections of eight bars each. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 96.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 11 Number 4, Hunting Song, performed by David Summer. This duet continues the hunting theme but this time in 2/4 instead of 6/8. A challenge for the student here is that the second trumpet is generally playing different rhythms than the first trumpet. Again, because it's a short duet, I've repeated the entire duet and metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 104.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 11 Number 3, There Rode Three Horsemen, performed by David Summer. Similar in style to the duet entitled Hunting Scene and also played as 6/8 "in 2". It can be a challenge for a student to properly subdivide the rhythms in this duet. Particularly the 5 beats represented in the dotted quarter tied to a quarter note. Because it's a short duet, I've repeated the entire duet and the metronome setting for this performance is dotted quarter note = 76.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 10 Number 2, Christmas Song, performed by David Summer. This is another simple duet with an interesting tempo marking. Little clue is giving to the origin of this duet. Perhaps it celebrates Sinterklaas, the Dutch figure that formed the basis for the North American figure of Santa Claus. Because it's a short duet, I've repeated the entire duet and the metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 132.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 10 Number 1, Old German Song, performed by David Summer. The composer of this duet, Valentin Rathgeber, was a versatile and prolific baroque composer. He was one of the most popular and respected composers from southern Germany. His works for trumpet include a "Concerto for 2 trumpets, 2 violins & continuo in D major". This simple, but effective, duet is reminiscent of a cannon at the beginning and contains an interesting tempo marking, open to interpretation. The trumpet 2 part of the duet stays down in the lower register of the trumpet, or "down in the mud" as brass players like to say, through most of the piece. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 112.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 9 Number 9, Evening Story, performed by David Summer. Evening Story is the last of the series of duets by Viktor Korda. This duet is an example of "program music". Program music is intended to invoke images in the mind of the listener by musically representing a scene, image or mood. In this case the scene is that of a story being told at the end of the day, perhaps outside on porch in the summer time. The relaxing mood being further hinted at by the tempo marking "Andante tranquillo", implying the tranquility of a warm summer evening or maybe a winter evening indoors next to a fireplace. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 88.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 8 Number 8, Rustic March, performed by David Summer. The second trumpet starts both of the first 2 sections of this march. The third section of the march (the "Trio" section) changes key, as is typical in a march. What is not typical here is that the key change is usually to the subdominant (one flat added). Here the change is key is to the dominant (one flat is removed). The trio section in this march duet is typical however, in that it is in a contrasting style to the rest of the march. For this performance, the repeats are not taken, but the Da Capo is and the metronome setting is quarter note = 108.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 7 Number 7, Minuet, performed by David Summer. A minuet is a social dance of French origin, for two people, in 3/4 time. This simple, but elegant, minuet has the trumpet 2 part echoing the trumpet 1 part a fifth lower in several places. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 112.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 6 Number 6, Hunting Scene, performed by David Summer. This duet invokes an image of a European style hunting expedition, complete with the sounding of the hunting horn (the "Trompe-de-Chasse"), from which the modern French Horn is descended. The time signature for this duet is 6/8. When 6/8 is at a fast tempo, it's often said to be "in 2". The performer heavily accents 2 beats to a measure, the first and the fourth beats. The metronome setting for this performance is dotted quarter note = 72.

Selected Duets for Trumpet, Page 5 Number 5, Polonaise, performed by David Summer. A "polonaise" is a slower dance in 3/4 time. It is of Polish origin (polonaise is French for "Polish"). The Polish composer Frédéric Chopin is considered a master of the polonaise. Again, dynamics play an important part in this duet, helping to provide melodic contrast between the different phrases in the piece. The metronome setting for this performance is quarter note = 100.