What pitch trumpet do I need for Mahler 1?

martinholliss · New Member Joined: 18 Mar 2018 Posts: 2 Location: UK

My local orchestra in the UK is about to start rehearsing Mahler 1. Originally written for F trumpets, is it possible to play this on a Bb trumpet...or would that be folly?! The problem is that none of us have a D, Eb or F trumpets so, if using a Bb trumpet is not sensible, we'd probably need to find somewhere to hire 4 or 5 higher-pitch trumpets, and we have no idea where to look! Cheers. MARTIN
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Cheers. Martin

thegflo81 · New Member Joined: 13 Mar 2018 Posts: 7

LSO plays it on Bbs!!! You can do it!!!

Nonsense Eliminator · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 6:24 am Post subject:

Even though it sounds a perfect fourth higher than written, the F trumpet of Mahler's day was not a higher-pitched instrument; it was pitched lower than than the B flat trumpet (i.e. one octave lower than a modern F trumpet). So using a high F trumpet is not only unnecessary, it's a step in the wrong direction. It's never been clear to me why Mahler alternated between F and B flat, nor is that necessarily an indication of what his trumpet players actually did.

Play it on whatever instrument you usually use in the orchestra, whether that's C or B flat.
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Richard Sandals
NBO

RandyTX · Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:57 am Post subject:

I personally like it better on the C, but it's certainly doable (to great effect) by some Orchestras on Bb's.
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"Music is like candy, you throw the (w)rappers away."

Sturmbill · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 8:18 am Post subject:

I don't know if it is viable for you, but Luck's Music here in the States offers transposed parts for the Mahler for a pretty inexpensive fee. Transposed to Bb...

https://www.lucksmusic.com/CatalogSymph.aspx?Detail=Y&ItemCode=09186
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Noli illegitimi carborundum... Joe Stilwell

ltkije1966 · Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2018 9:37 am Post subject:

I've done it on both Bb and C. Bb works fine.

I actually like it better on Bb.
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Scott Kuehn

tmccarthy53 · New Member Joined: 10 Oct 2016 Posts: 7

Most people in the US play it on C trumpet, but many UK orchestras primarily use Bb. As long as you can transpose you'll be fine!

huw.trumpet · Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 5:14 am Post subject:

If I were you, I would use whatever instrument sounds best in this context but I agree that in the UK, Bb trumpet would be the more common choice. It's also tonally closer to the alto F trumpet than a C trumpet would be.

You may want to switch to Eb trumpet for some of the higher passages.

Huw

dstpt · Heavyweight Member Joined: 14 Dec 2005 Posts: 1284