Most abandon

[kurisumasukeiki]

Hello!

I was wondering what orchestral trumpet section playing today do people think plays with most abandon/fervor/passion?

Or put another way, what trumpet section of today do you think is really going for it, "leaving it all out on the field"?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!!

[Aspeyrer]

In general I don’t think sections play with abandon. Some principal players do. But, the sections tend to be more balanced and offer good support the the principal.
That being said. I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Munich Phil live a few times. Trumpets sounded incredible (all Strauss tour) and at times a bit raw (exciting!). Strings sounded amazing as well.

[kurisumasukeiki]

Thanks you for the response, I will definitely check them out!

Yes, I see what you mean about the section playing with abandon. But I am speaking of a more unbridled sound from the principal, with the rest of the section supporting that.

Thanks again for your response!

[Seymor B Fudd]

[kurisumasukeiki]

Thank you, Seymour, for the recommendation! I will definitely check it out!

I of course love hearing inspired playing from any era, and in any genre of music, but i was wondering specifically about the orchestras of today.

Thanks again, I appreciate all your comments and insight!

[mhenrikse]

[area51recording]

[epoustoufle]

The London Symphony Orchestra playing the John Williams movie sound-tracks are pretty fearless. Raiders of the Lost Ark in particular.

[bagmangood]

[LaTrompeta]

Nobody plays with abandon because that would mean abandoning their job. [/i]
_________________
Please join me as well at:
https://trumpetboards.com

[kurisumasukeiki]

Everybody, thank you very much for your recommendations!

And LaTrompeta, I totally understand where you're coming from!

Not knowing very much about the history of orchestral performance, though, doesn't it seem as though orchestra members have more protection from losing their jobs than they used to?

I mean, couldn't conductors in the past dismiss players with very little cause? Yet some of the most musically uninhibited performances I've heard have come from this earlier era.

Happy to get more of your insights on this subject, and thank you again!

[mhenrikse]

[Aspeyrer]

While a somewhat agree with what was written by the previous poster, look what we’ve gained; better intonation, clearer tone (generally), better balance.
Also, I think the demands now are more than ever. The seasons for the top orchestras are very long and often riddled with the most challenging repertoire.

Not to take anything away from the legendary greats. I do agree many older recordings are more exciting! But maybe only as a trumpet/brass player. I’m not sure winds and strings would feel the same way
Also, another suggestion for the OP would be to check out some of the top Russian orchestras, those players go nuts sometimes (ina good way).

[kurisumasukeiki]

Again, thank you all for responding and taking the time to answer my post!

I will check out some of the Russian orchestras for sure.

And mhenrikse, I will listen to that recording of Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra as well.

If anybody else has more recommendations, I would love to hear them.

Thanks again

[JayV]

To win a US audition today, you must play everything in a musically predictable and middle-of-the-road way. If you go in there with a really unique sound and interpretation, some of the committee will LOVE it but others will HATE it, and you probably won't get past the first round. You need to play in such a way that everyone or almost everyone likes most of what you're doing, hopefully loving a couple things here and there.

I've recorded every audition I've taken in the past few years, and the rounds where I've advanced to semis or finals or won, I've consciously aimed at a "middle of the road" interpretation. I telegraph my musical ideas so the committee knows what to expect at all times. No surprises, no very dramatic and unique interpretations, no "outside-the-box" sounds or styles, no pushing of any limits. Everything is pretty, clean, regularized, dutiful to the current opinions on "how it should go," etc. If you screen for playing like this, that's what you're going to get in the orchestra.

I think it's possible to have a unique voice and exciting ideas and still learn how to play "in-the-box" for auditions, but it's difficult!! It's much easier if you play "in-the-box" all the time to play that way in an audition, and so here we are.

There are some notable exceptions to this, I'm not saying every single trumpet player in a US orchestra is not doing any exciting playing. That said, there is a lot of very exciting orchestra trumpeting happening in Europe right now. Both principals in the Concertgebouw orchestra are amazing.

[MrClean]

Ah, another thread waxing nostalgic about how no American trumpeters play with any character anymore. I could live to the age of 500 and still not understand why anyone would prefer the wobbly, pitchy, uncontrolled playing of some (not all) of the folks that make the list of heroes of yesteryear.

I completely disagree about having to play in a boring and predictable way in order to win a job - quite the contrary. You do have to have control of your instrument, play in tune, in time and with good rhythm, and with a good, clean resonant sound. Those are table stakes. Play in a musically compelling and interesting way (without being weird/eccentric) and you're going to do very well. We're not looking for boring players, just ones that aren't going to absolutely ruin a performance with their over-the-top, ego-driven uncontrolled "musicality". In an orchestra, you are one part of a team, and you're there to serve the music, not yourself.
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

[mhenrikse]

[trompette229]

Mr. Clean speaks the truth and I think we can have it both ways to a certain extent. Orchestral trumpet playing HAS evolved over the last several decades. It is cleaner and more refined but I defy you to sit in the hall and listen live to any of the current principal players (Hooten, Sachs, Martin or Bilger etc to name a few) and not walk away impressed and musically satisfied.

If I had to name one player that maybe bridges the gap best to my ears of great technique and accuracy combined with playing with a lot of character, Esteban Batallán (new-ish principal in Chicago) certainly comes to mind.

[MrClean]

It’s not a rare trait among trumpet players, particularly at the collegiate level. I’ve been around long enough to remember that mentality (or echoes of it) in the professional ranks, too - the need to dominate. You can hear it in the playing.

Is this your idea of exciting, character-rich playing? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GYc-gnFgxyM&feature=share
_________________
Jim Wilt
LA Philharmonic
Colburn School

[Steve A]

I don't understand why, when these threads inevitably roll around, we make this out to be the responsibility of the trumpet players rather than the conductors. The conductors have the last word for basically all the things most of us are talking about here.

Also, despite all the handwringing about lack of individuality in today's trumpet players, just picking a few prominent current US principal players, I think it's pretty obvious to anyone who takes the time to listen closely that, say:

Chris Martin
Thomas Rolfs
Michael Sachs
Thomas Hooten
David Krauss

all have different, distinct, recognizable sounds and styles, and all sound great.