The Trumpet Shall Sound

kevin_soda · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 11:57 am Post subject: The Trumpet Shall Sound

I haven't played Messiah since before the pandemic and I've never played trumpet 1. I have the opportunity to perform it this year and I've been enjoying the process of learning the music. I'm planning to play picc in A for everything but I'm wondering if anyone prefers trumpet in D or any other trumpet for that matter. My guess is that a modern D trumpet might not be the right sound for The Trumpet Shall Sound but could work fine for everything else. I always played C trumpet for trumpet 2 because I don't own a D trumpet. Also, what do you like to do to stay warm? I have a practice mute that I plan to use but I haven't figured out where to use it. This group asks us to remain on stage for the whole performance. Any firsthand experience is most appreciated! Thanks in advance!
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Kevin

fleming · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 12:05 pm Post subject: Handel

Picc in A is my choice. Played it quite a few times in various settings.

I’ve heard it on D trumpet, too, and it sounded great. It’s more work, though.

mhenrikse · Veteran Member Joined: 21 Jul 2009 Posts: 162

patdublc · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 12:33 pm Post subject:

I pretty much always use A-picc if I'm playing first part. Although, TTSS actually works pretty nicely on G-picc as well. When playing second part, I typically use D trumpet.
That's just personal preference and what I'm comfortable with. I've also done it on a Naumann 4-hole Haas bell baroque trumpet, but I was not really in my comfort zone.
I say play which ever one you sound best on.
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Pat Shaner
Play Wedge Mouthpieces by Dr. Dave exclusively.
Experiment with LOTS of horn makes and models.

Christian K. Peters · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 4:17 pm Post subject: Trumpet Shall Sound

Hello all,
Pic in A. Though D trumpet may sound more lyrical, endurance and trills are way easier. The DC can be taxing...One more time with feeling! There is a lot of sitting between a couple of movements.It is hard to stay warmed up and keep the horn warm also. Much blowing warm air through and quietly emptying water.
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Christian K. Peters
Schilke Loyalist since 1976

spitvalve · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 7:35 pm Post subject:

I did a Messiah gig (all eleven billion movements) about fifteen years ago on a borrowed Schilke D trumpet (E3L). Beautiful horn but I played so badly one of the violinists, trying to be nice, said "trumpet must a hard instrument to play." Unless you've got great D trumpet chops, piccolo is the way to go and I wish I'd had one at the time. D trumpet is fine for the 2nd trumpet part, but not for the 1st.

I did "The Trumpet Shall Sound" when I owned a Getzen piccolo and it was a piece of cake ( see my rant on the recent UMI thread).
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Bryan Fields
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1991 Bach LR180 ML 37S
1999 Getzen Eterna 700S
1979 Getzen Eterna 895S Flugelhorn
1969 Getzen Capri cornet
Eastlake Benge 4PSP piccolo trumpet
Warburton and Stomvi Flex mouthpieces

MalinTrumpet · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 7:49 pm Post subject: The Trumpet Shall Sound

I’ve played this many, many times. A piccolo is the way to go. You’ll enjoy it which is why we do this in the first place. Ray Mase gave me great advice about playing things cold. Practice picking it up and playing it with no preparation. If you screw it up a few times in practice you’ll remember exactly what you did. I can’t overemphasize enough how important it is to practice cold.

Good luck!

LCM

DH · Veteran Member Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 493

Like many of the others, I've done it many times, always on piccolo trumpet. I have a couple of D trumpets but I play piccolo very often and know all it's idiosyncrasies both on my P5-4 and my Scherzer. And as has been mentioined it's easier for the endurance. I can play it on D, but it isn't near as comfortable to me.

Keep in mind that piccolo trumpet as well as D trumpet are no where near the sound for which Handel wrote. I mess around some with Baroque trumpet and it is a much different sound that I think blends much better with the voice.

kevin_soda · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 9:49 pm Post subject:

Denny Schreffler · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 10:31 pm Post subject:

jkarnes0661 · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 4:13 am Post subject:

Getting ready to play Messiah next week, I've played both parts numerous times and prefer C or D (depending on orchestra and chorus size) for T2 and A pic for T1.

Planning to do something different this year, I typically play A pic on a Schilke 11A mpc which I plan to use for the choruses but I'm going to use a Curry TC cup mpc for TSS this year. I was experimenting and the TC cup gives a sound that's closer to a baroque instrument on my Scherzer pic. I also find it easier to play softly when the bass is singing. Also played around with a TF cup but found the deeper cup was a little too tubby sounding.

If you haven't tried the Curry TC and TF mouthpieces, they're worth a spin. I've used them for a lot of musicals when you have to play something soft and delicate right after a big commercial screaming number. Also great in a G trumpet to get an Eb cornet kind of sound.

This Messiah production is going to be extremely limited, 90 min with no intermission, and we're going straight from TSS into Worthy/Amen so it will be interesting to see at rehearsal if I have time to switch mpc's or if I'm going to be stuck playing the high D concert in the opening of Worthy on the TC mouthpiece...

Sit, sit, sit, Glory to God, sit, sit, sit, Halleluiah, sit for 5 min, TSS, Worthy, Amen. It will be nice to get home at a decent hour but I wish they were doing at least one of the Arias between TSS and Worthy!

Cheers,

-JK
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Jonathan Karnes
Grand Rapids, MI
jonathankarnes.com

falado · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 5:57 am Post subject:

Hi, I’ve played this many times in the past. I’ve done t2 on a Bb Bach 37. I’ve done t1 on D and pic. In A. My favorite has been pic in A. But here’s a suggestion. My trumpet philosophy is to play so I don’t miss. So, I would practice it on both to see which is easiest, sounds the best and will let me play so I don’t miss any notes. Oh, and have the endurance to last too.

Just some thoughts, hope it helps.
Dave
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FA LA DO (Ab: V/ii) MUCS, USN (Ret.)
Stomvi VR (Reeves) with VR II Bell
Bach 239 25A C, Blueprinted
Bach 37, Early Elkhart, Blueprinted
Kanstul Flugel
Getzen 4 valve Pic.
Yamaha D/Eb
Besson Cornet

loudog · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 6:58 am Post subject:

Using valves is cheating

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Dr. Louie Eckhardt, trumpeter
http://www.LouieEckhardt.com
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Denny Schreffler · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 11:14 am Post subject:

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

As a young buck, I did TTSS on Bb (a Wild Thing in fact)…not the best choice, but it mostly worked.

Now always on A picc or D like most everyone else.

Loved the natural tpt joke, thanks!

DH · Veteran Member Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 493

A little off topic but it is a funny story about a Messiah performance. I was playing at a local church and knew the choir director as his wife as on the faculty at my school. It was a small group with only one trumpet. When we were to rehearse he told me the trumpet is always too loud and I should play as soft as possible. Since I knew him, as a joke I did exactly that - as soft as I possibly could. Not sure the strings in the row ahead of me heard the trumpet. After that one piece he looked over at me and with a big grin said that was great -- exactly as he wanted!!

Against my better musical judgement I did the entire performance exactly that way. After it was over, my wife came up to me and asked what was wrong with my chops since she pretty much couldn't hear me at all. I said that's what the conductor wanted and he writes the checks!! Never played for him again.

martin mc hale · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 3:25 pm Post subject:

I haven’t played first trumpet in Messiah since my college days. These days I’m content to sit in my usual chair and give the audience my “second trumpet face “ that exudes the notion that-“yes I could really nail this but I never get asked”. That feeble joke apart, I always use the Eb side of my Stomvi as it seems to have a tighter yoke to the intonation of the first trumpet playing on the A piccolo. As with everything of course, play what you are comfortable with.

fleming · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2022 3:57 pm Post subject: Full Messiah

Full Messiah? Comfy chair!

DH · Veteran Member Joined: 17 May 2006 Posts: 493

so I used to tell my wife that if I was in a coma and she didn't know whether to pull the plug, play the end of the first Movement of Bruckner's 4th with Chicago/Solti.

I've reconsidered this... nothing makes me wake up and sit up straight and get ready than the recitative sequence from the Messiah starting with "There were shepherds abiding in the field"

I'm sure if you've played the Messiah you can appreciate that!!

Andy Del · Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2022 10:25 am Post subject:

Not sure why so many get all fired up about the rests in Messiah. I simply stay off stage and walk on a chorus or so beforehand.

Far better than the audience watching me sleep, complete with snoring and drool…

Look like this is correct and all above board. Easy. Will be doing this 4 out of 5 Messiahs this year.

Cheers

Andy
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so many horns, so few good notes...