Hardest piece for trumpet?

Billy B · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:34 am Post subject:

Lovelock
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Bill Bergren

badebop · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:46 am Post subject:

dr_trumpet · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:54 am Post subject: Hardest work for trpt

How about the Zimmerman Concerto, subtitled Nobody Knows the Trouble I See......I have a copy here, and it makes works like the Tomasi, the Williams and the Jolivet pale in comparison. Simply the hardest work I've ever played.

AL

BigBadWolf · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:57 am Post subject:

The pieces that I have had the most trouble with are Peter Maxwell Davies Sonata and Kryll by someone (I forget who wrote it). The Davies took a while to learn, but I have been able to perform it pretty well a number of times. But I think that it was the most difficult piece for me to get together with the pianist. Kryll, as well as many other modern unaccompanied works, has always given me trouble. I just can't really hear what it should sound like. The one time that I had to perform that piece, I could have played it better.

Kevin

JoeCool · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:57 am Post subject:

Hhhmmmm......I thought the rim around my bell was the hardest piece on my trumpet.....back to lurking. HA!
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Joe

BigBadWolf · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:00 am Post subject:

Oh yeah, I forgot about the Jolivet Heptade. I am working it up right now. Not really very easy. But my percussionist is good, so hopefully we can get it together.

Kevin

TWEAK · Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:11 am Post subject:

i have to chime in about vizzutti. i have been listening to his stuff for a few years, and i own a couple of different things he has written or that were written for him.

the first, is playable, but has hard pieces. it is called "trumpet solos for the performing artist" composed by michael garson and recorded by vizzutti. i really like the jazz variations on a theme of paganini. its quite hard, but it is obtainable with much practice and dedication.

the second thing i have by vizzutti is called "emerald concerto and other gems". its....way to hard. just absolutely deadly.

okay thats it.
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thatleadguy · Veteran Member Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 293

tpter1 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1194

Hardest thing I ever worked on was the Davies Sonata. Written for D trumpet...do you do it on a C and transpose, on a D, or some other horn? I did it on a D. All the accidentals just seemed too much to think about transposing. I didn't perform it. No pianist was brave enough. I imagine getting that with piano would be out of this world. Love the second movement, though.

steve_fenick · Veteran Member Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 376

Davies intended for the Sonata to be played on D trumpet, though I do have a recording of it played by Hakan Hardenberger which is done on C trumpet.
I have to submit the Henze Sonatina as one of the toughest pieces in the repertoire. It is just absolutely fiendish.

bike&ed · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Posts: 1837

Yeah, it's ridiculously difficult to find an accompanist who can and will take on some of the advanced 20th century literature. I've been through the wringer trying to find an accompanist for the Tomasi, and it's not the hardest of them by any stretch! I think the Williams and the Liebermann could both be contenders, but the hardest thing I have seen on paper must surely the Bacri conerto no.1. There's a recording of Eric Aubier playing it that I adore, and it's simply "unreal".

trpt.hick · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:56 pm Post subject:

All pieces mentioned so far are mere warm-ups for Gunther Schuller's CONCERTO FOR TRUMPET AND CHAMBER ORCHESTRA.

If you haven't heard it, it's because it is hardly ever played. No recording, either. Gerard Schwarz premiered it and Steve Burns has played it some as well. No performances since 1984.

If you ever look at a copy of the solo part (12-tome piece), you will laugh!!!

Dave Hickman

Trumpet Dude · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 6:15 pm Post subject:

Adagio

It is very hard to play WELL
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bike&ed · Heavyweight Member Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Posts: 1837

Trumpetdude makes a really good point- every piece is challenging in its own way. I think we're just referring to the sheer technical and range requirements of various pieces, which can make a solo work VERY intimidating.

I've never heard the Schuller, but Schwarz also recorded a piece for solo trumpet and 9 wind instruments by H. Brant in the early 1980s, and it sounds unbelievably difficult, but I've never seen the music. The Bacri probably still stands out as the hardest thing in my possesion. I can play a few licks from it, yay!

bachstrad · Veteran Member Joined: 08 Mar 2003 Posts: 194

Wow i did a quick google on the Schuller and found a preview of the first page of the concerto: http://www.trumpetmage.com/img61/op_1_dm_10278_vm_10289/1220111_e_g_1.jpg

Take note of the notes with the -9- and -7- under it, not really sure how to count those! Not to mention the high concert Eb a little ways down the page! I'm pretty sure that it probably doesn't get easier after this page either haha.

trpt.hick · Posted: Tue Jan 18, 2005 10:19 pm Post subject:

There's 20 more pages that get MUCH more difficult!

jpellett · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:27 am Post subject:

The hardest piece I've performed is probably the Persichetti Parable. The hardest pieces I've tried to play but have been so far, unsuccessful, are the Brandenburg and Fischer Tull Concerto #2.

Jason Pellett
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mpc · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:28 am Post subject:

Nobody's mentioned Berio's Sequenza, one of the few pieces in the repertory by a fairly respected and non-trumpet playing composer. The piece is 20 minutes long for solo trumpet (and piano resonance).

Last weekend I heard David Guerrier perform it in concert with the Jolivet Concerto no. 2 without a break in between.

tpter1 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 17 Jun 2004 Posts: 1194

I think we should require all students to play the Schuller for their sixth grade band audition next year. They should prepare it on a minimum of 2 horns...

didge · Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2005 12:37 pm Post subject:

Michael Haydn&Bach-Brandenburg no. 2, Zwilich-Concerto for trumpet and five players, Vizzutti-Carnival of Venus, Skalkottas-Concertino, Jolivet-Heptade