The Incredible Responsiveness of the Wild Thing

Bill · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 7:00 am Post subject:

I've been elightened once again on how quick and solid this trumpet is when you need fast changes in expressions, be they dynamic changes or articulations.

I played a piece by Eric Ewazen yesterday for both services in Church - "The Prelude and Fugue for 6 Trumpets". I covered the 2nd part. For those of you who have played this marvelous and moving piece of music you are required to do a variety of sfzp attacks followed by crescendos back to ff. Some of these are whole notes but there are a few that are quarter and half notes that require some real instantaneous adjustments. Hearing one trumpet do it well is quite a nice effect, having 6 do it at the same time in 5 part harmony is amazing.

The Wild Thing allows these types of dramatic expressionistic techniques to be done easily and with no loss of tone or struggle with intonality normally asociated with abrupt changes in airflow. The horn literally allows you to BOUNCE off a sfzp attack and steadily pour on the coals back to the ff - almost like a whipcrack down to pp then increasing in intensity back to full volume.

This BOUNCE effect (and I don't know if I'm really expressing it right) lets you hit it hard, come back down and get back there with the easiest, most fluid manner and with the least effort expended. And YOU STAY IN TUNE ALL THE WAY THROUGH IT!

The more I play this thing the more I love it. I have played a variety of excellent horns in my life. While I agree that the player his/herself makes up the majority of the result, there definitely IS a significant difference in the way horns respond and play. Thanks again Flip.

Get well soon!
_________________
Bill Mirrielees
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Bill Mirrielees
Wilmington NC

Wilmington Big Band
Artistry In Jazz Big Band
Snake Malone and the Black Cat Bone Blues Band

_Don Herman · Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 7:12 pm Post subject:

"6 doing it in 5-part harmony..." So, who was out of tune? Oh, I suppose it's "melody" plus 5 harmony parts? Silly me, ain't never had no music eddication...

(That's true, btw!)

Not news that the WT's a great horn, of course.

But, I do have some great news! I spoke with Flip tonight. He's home and doing fine. Should be back to blowing away soon! He'll probably chime in before too much longer, but he has a backlog of emails and a pile of bills to go through.

He also said he just got a shipment of new horns in, and has virtually every WT "flavor" in stock. Great time to give him a ring or drop him a note!

Play on - Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

Bill · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 2:05 am Post subject:

Hi Don,

The 1st and 6th parts were an octave apart on many of the passages.
_________________
Bill Mirrielees
Wilmington NC

Wilmington Big Band
Artistry In Jazz Big Band
Snake Malone and the Black Cat Bone Blues Band

_Don Herman · Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:41 am Post subject:

Kidding, Bill, kidding! Thanks for the info, though. As for the rest, sounds like you had a great time!

All the best - Don
_________________
Don Herman/Monument, CO
"After silence, that which best expresses the inexpressible, is music." - Aldous Huxley

the chief · Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 7:02 pm Post subject:

Wow, this WT sounds like it truely plays itself. I can't wait to play on one.

[ This Message was edited by: the chief on 2004-02-11 22:18 ]

Bill · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2004 6:02 am Post subject:

Hi Chief,

No, it doesn't play itself (I wish). It's got its little quirks and idiosyncratic peculiarities just like any other horn. It does blow easily. It does have great valves and they seem to have a shorter, more positive stroke than other valve blocks.

There is a tendency to overblow it until you get used to it. After playing it for awhile you realize you just don't have to work as hard as you used to. Once you start relaxing with it the ability to color your tone and expression really seems to come out. That's what I was trying to say in my original post here on the horn's responsiveness.

It's like a really smooth driving sportscar with a big engine. You can tool around hugging curves using minute adjustments to steer the car...but when you put your foot down on the accelerator, THINGS HAPPEN!

_________________
Bill Mirrielees
Wilmington NC

Wilmington Big Band
Artistry In Jazz Big Band
Snake Malone and the Black Cat Bone Blues Band

douglast35758 · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 1:08 pm Post subject:

Having borrowed Bill's horn to blow for a few tunes around Christmas time, I can attest that it is an incredible horn. Certainly it plays better than I am able to play it. If Bill's sound and responsiveness are any indication, Flip makes a truly great horn worthy of any player. The Ewazen piece was fun for all who performed it, and raised many compliments throughout the day thereafter. Bill, thanks for putting that together for us. To anyone interested in a really fine six-horn piece, this is well worth investing in.
--Doug

trumpetmike · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 1:35 pm Post subject:

Wish I could comment upon the trumpet - haven't managed to play one of these yet.

Totally agree about the Ewazen - my trumpet ensemble gave the official UK Premiere of this piece and it has become one of our signature pieces. We played it once and the audience have requested it ever since.
We tend to do it with two or three on each part, great fun.

douglast35758 · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 1:39 pm Post subject:

Oh yea. The sound generated by doubling or tripling parts would be incredible. Tough part is finding twelve or eighteen players in the church who are up to the task. But any university should be able to do it. --Doug

Bill · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 5:02 pm Post subject:

Doug,

You are too kind and too complimentary of my playing, but thank you from the bottom of my heart. This horn does indeed allow the player to express themselves easily.

From the very softest passages to covering the entire orchestra you can do it.
_________________
Bill Mirrielees
Wilmington NC

Wilmington Big Band
Artistry In Jazz Big Band
Snake Malone and the Black Cat Bone Blues Band

Benge Loyalist · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 6:41 pm Post subject:

Y'all really ought to play a Burbank Benge. My bet is that it is what Flip is trying to duplicate!
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Benge Loyalist aka UsedBits
Benge Bb 5x ml #8162 Burbank 1969 gold
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Boston 3 star NE Plus Ultra (1912)

Trptbenge · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2004 7:06 pm Post subject:

Benge Loyalist,

Having owned and played several Burbank Benges I can safely say that the Wild Thing plays nothing like a Burbank Benge. I love Burbank Benges but I think Flip was trying to come up with a totally unique horn. He accomplished that goal. I played two Wild Things the other night at Lee Adams house when Tom Turner stopped by. Both were great horns.

Mike