Trumpet Concerto

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

This is a beginning. I thought it might be interesting to post more as the piece develops. The staves are out of order, having been placed conveniently for working, and nothing much has been done with note velocity or phrasing, or at a number of places with harmony and instrumentation.

This was started a year ago last January, and I have returned to it a number of times, but I have kept over-writing the old files. If nothing else, posting here will allow me to go back to an earlier version if I want to.

The theme is very similar to one used in the 3rd movement of my D minor symphony. The second theme will have a considerably different character.

More later.

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.giftrumpet
Trumpet Concerto v1.not (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/Trumpet_Concerto_v1-28629.not) (278.6 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

This includes the second theme and some slight work begun on it. The re-statement an octave higher will be given to the strings (who haven't really begun to earn their keep yet).

There is still work to be done on the first section--the timpani is, so far, the only percussion included, and there will be either a marimba or celesta or vibraphone, probably the latter.

This gets close to the file size limit, so the rest of the posts will have to be in the midi format.

later...

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.giftrumpet2
Trumpet Concerto.not (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/Trumpet_Concerto-28637.not) (461.1 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

This includes the string statement of the second theme, as well as some fleshing out of what was done above, and a very sketchy beginning of the development, which consists mostly of a blending of portions of the two themes, and will include some form of a theme from the second movement,

Still thinking ahead, I've decided to write out a fairly short cadenza, and I've also decided that it's time for me to learn how to bend pitches since there are several places, already written and in here, where they are needed.

This has got too big for a .not file, now.

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.giftrumpet3 midi
Trumpet Concerto.mid (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/Trumpet_Concerto-28759.mid) (44.8 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

More adding of flesh. String support added--finished actually, in places where it was begun. Have also added full orchestra in a couple of place where there is/will be a dialog with an instrumental group.

The bent pitches aren't here yet--I'm just not very good at drawing curves I guess, but will keep working at it.

I'd be interested in hearing whether this is audible, or not. My current sound card configuration gives me, for some reason, tons of volume--I have to set the mini synth volume and the master at around 30% to keep from getting blasted off the chair.

later...

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.giftrumpet 4midi
Trumpet Concerto.mid (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/Trumpet_Concerto-28781.mid) (51.7 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[Fred Winterling (harbor1)]

Hi MG,
Another masterful work. Everything you do is so well balanced. I need to take lessons from you in "volume control". In my stuff, you can see I strive to get blasted off the chair. You can't stand in front of guitar amplifiers 6 nites a week for 30 years without some effect on your ears.
Mark and Sherry gave me some good tips on pitch bends. Enlarge the screen to show just one measure and it makes it a lot easier. I also started using the straight line tool more than the curve tool, lately. When you get one you like, copy it into another file so you can use it in other places or other songs. I do that because I can never draw the exact same bend twice.
Again, I am really impressed with the trumpet concerto. You would have made great trumpet player!http://www.notation.com/discus/clipart/smile.gif
Cheers,
Fred

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

Hi Fred,

I guess the trumpet concerto played with enough volume there. My settings must be off somehow. With the sound card in the old computer, I used to have to set them way up; in the new computer, it's just the opposite--radically.

When the card was in the old computer, I discovered a way to get more volume, using the graphic equalizer. I just selected the "flat" preset and moved each slider up by exactly the same amount then saved it as a preset. I wound up with presets vol+1 through vol+4. +4 gave a huge increase in volume.

Enlarging the screen to do pitch bends sounds like a great idea. So does saving a successful one...which I'll do as soon as I get one. I didn't know you could use the straight line since the manual says to use a curve. I'll try that, too.

When I was in my 20s, I went through a period of renting an instrument for several months, buying an introductory book, and learning the basics of playing it. The trumpet was one of those rentals, and far from the most successful. Oddly, I had the most success, among the brasses, with the french horn. I've already written some notes above the normal trumpet range, so I guess I'm limiting any pool of possible players. I just hope the final product will make someone want to play it.

all best,
mgj

[Fred Winterling (harbor1)]

Hi MG,
Funny, how our backgrounds are so similar. When I came off the road in the early 60's, I was broke and out of work. I had been looking for a "day gig" and it took a while to find one. I called a few musicians and asked if they needed a sax player. One of them said no, but he really needed a trumpet player. I told him "No problem, I'm your man" and went to a music store around the corner and bought a beat up trumpet for $30 thinking I could master it before the weekend. I could get some noise out of it, but it was really horrible. I took the trumpet back to the store and they bought it back for $10. That was my first lesson on how not to make money! The good news is, my wife stopped reminding me of it after only 10 years!http://www.notation.com/discus/clipart/happy.gif
Cheers,
Fred

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

This is the close to finished draft of the first movement. Most of the filling in has been done, the short cadenza written, and most of the recapitulation.

It stops rather abruptly with a few measures left. (Not the fault of your computer.) I am working out a brief coda, which may very briefly look forward to the third movement, and I want to move on to it after completing the recapitulation, so I have left those few measures to do in that session.

I have the ZSF 39MB sound bank loaded, so I don't know what the GM sound will be like. I suspect the solo trumpet staff may have to be selected and have the volume bumped up some.

Before it is finished there are some instruments to be added but I'll need a 17th channel for that.

The next posting should be the completed draft.

later...

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.giftrumpet
Trumpet Concerto.mid (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/Trumpet_Concerto-28913.mid) (122.7 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[Fred Winterling (harbor1)]

Hey MG,
The Trumpet Concerto is really coming together. Man, you play the heck out of that horn!!
Cheers,
Fred

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

If nothing else, the first movement is the length I wanted, between 9 and 10 minutes. To this point it has been fun; editing and detailing is not fun, so I guess it's time to either buckle down or start something else.

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.gif1st movement
Trumpet Concerto.mid (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/Trumpet_Concerto-28931.mid) (131.2 k)</td></tr></table></center>

Fortunately, the second movement provides that something else. It will get to the point where I need to make corrections and work out details, but for now it's great fun. This is actually a second sketch of the first theme. (I hope the first five notes are in the public domain because their source is pretty obvious.)

The theme will be repeated three times; introduced by the strings, then taken up by the trumpet (sketched), then played by the lower brass, with the solo trumpet "improvising" in a rather tentative way. The second theme will also be lyrical, and the first will end the movement with the solo trumpet improvising in a way that will make the theme almost a new melody. I think I will do the whole movement in sketch fashion.

later...

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.gifsecond begun
2 prelim sketch.not (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/2_prelim_sketch-28932.not) (38.3 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

Hi Fred,

Thanks.

I'm afraid I'm still chuckling about the trumpet you sorta rented for the weekend at a total cost of $20. I imagine the store owner remembers the trumpet he sold for $20 plus the $30 the next guy gave him, too.

I wish I had got far enough with the trumpet to have an idea of whether jumps of an octave or more are possible to play fast, but I don't really know. I do know they can be done on the flute, but never really got easy for me. At any rate, I won't change anything until I find out it can't be done.

Is more Dixie Land in the pipeline?

best,
mgj

[Fred Winterling (harbor1)]

Hi MG,

>I'm afraid I'm still chuckling about the trumpet you sorta rented for the weekend at a total cost of $20.
Me, too!

>I wish I had got far enough with the trumpet to have an idea of whether jumps of an octave or more are possible to play fast, but I don't really know.
I don't believe there is very much that a good musician can't play. When I listen to some of your trumpet parts, I recall my old trumpet player, Mike Palmiere, warming up in the dressing room. It sounds just like him. Then he would go out on stage and have to play the stuff we were forced to play in order to make a buck. What a waste!

>Is more Dixie Land in the pipeline?
Maybe so! I haven't done very much lately. I have been spending a lot of time trying to get my web site the way I want it. I have been playing around with some more big band jazz stuff, but I am not happy with it. The ideas have been a little weak lately. It might be fun to get back to another Dixie thing. Thanks!
Cheers,
Fred

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

I had intended to post sketches through the final version of this concerto, but I've sort of forgot for a while. This is got a bit beyond a sketch, although there are some instruments to be added--double bass, bass drum, and some other percussion. There is also about a minute and a half left to write. And there is a lot of work to be done on dynamics, which will either make or break the piece, I think.

This movement needs a trumpet with a lot of vibrato, which the GM trumpet doesn't have. I've used the one in the ZFS bank. It has to be toned down quite a bit, but is otherwise lovely.

later...

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.gif2movement
2 prelim sketch.not (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/2_prelim_sketch-28949.not) (237.8 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

The first movement is done for now. All the instruments are there now. I had intended on using a marimba for the part now given to vibes, which I just happened to try once, and it grew on me. The rest of the dynamic editing will be done when I do the annotations, but I don't know when I will get to that.

The third movement is just begun.

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.giftrumpet concerto 1st movement allegr
Trumpet Concerto 1st Allegro.mid (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/Trumpet_Concerto_1st_Allegro-29471.mid) (146.4 k)</td></tr></table></center>

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.giftrumpet concerto 3rd sketch
3 sketch.not (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/3_sketch-29472.not) (331.1 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

As far as material I planned to use in this, it's all here now. At the point I stopped for now, the first theme will return and end the piece. I am somewhat dissatisfied with it. That's not unusual, but I don't really know why, and I guess I'll have to find that out before finishing. At any rate, with more work done on the first half and the rest pretty sketchy, this is the current midi.

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.gif3rd movement
3 sketch.mid (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/3_sketch-29483.mid) (94.9 k)</td></tr></table></center>

[M G Jacobs (mgj32)]

It's not finished, but it can probably be elevated from sketch to draft now. I've made some changes in the ordering of the material and hopefully those have given it a less lopsided feel.

All the instruments are GM, except the oboe, which is from the Plus Symphony bank. I used this one because of its vibrato.

The whole piece has been great fun. Editing volume and adding annotations is not much fun, but I am going to try to not let this sit for a year before doing it.

<center><table border=1><tr><td>http://www.notation.com/discus/icons/attachment_icon.gif3rd movement draft
3 sketch changes.mid (http://www.notation.com/discus/messages/35939/3_sketch_changes-29507.mid) (149.5 k)</td></tr></table></center>