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International Trumpet Guild Journal

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InsIde the Orchestra sectIOnMIchael sachs, cOluMn edItOr

usIng dIfferent Keyed InstruMents In theOrchestra: When, hOW, and Why

By MIchael sachs

June 2011 Page 84

84 ITG Journal / June 2011 2011 International Trumpet Guild

InsIde the Orchestra sectIOnMIchael sachs, cOluMn edItOr

A s trumpet players, we are faced with a wealth ofchoices when it comes to equipment. There aremany possible combinations of instrumentsand mouthpieces available for performing any given piece orparticular passage in the symphonic repertoire. Because ofthese multiple options, its easy to fall into a vortex andbecome overwhelmed by these choices, leading to feelings ofindecision and instability. All of us at one time or another haveventured down that path, and many times the results are notwhat we hoped for. Everyone is different, from their physicalmake-up and stylistic needs to their acoustical setting. If donethoughtfully, using different equipment judiciously can beextremely beneficial.

Although this article is about possible uses of different per-formance options, I am not an advocate of wholesale switch-ing of equipment, either for differentpieces or within a given piece. I actuallyfeel quite the opposite. While below aresome solutions that Ive found useful,Im a big fan of stability, and typicallyuse my primary C trumpet and mouth-piece combination for at least 95% (if not more) of the playingthat I do for my job in the Cleveland Orchestra.

When dealing with a challenging passage, its easy to reactand immediately look to jump to another horn or mouthpiecefor a quick fix and to make things easier to play. Whenever thatthought crosses my mind, the first question I always ask isCan this equipment give me the appropriate sound for thispiece? If the answer is no, then I dont continue down thatpath. I need to have two important elements going in the rightdirectionthe balanced combination of the sound and theway things lay on the instrument for it to be a viable option.If I do decide to switch equipment, especially in the middle ofa piece, I try to make sure that I give myself enough time to beable to blow warm air through the horn before my firstentrance. I dont ever want to play on a cold instrument if I canavoid it. This also gives me some time to think about whathorn I am about to play and the general properties of using itsuccessfully: response, air movement, where the slots will befor the notes that I see (and hear), the tone quality and colorthat I will want from it, etc. I try to do this all very deliberate-ly, if possible, which only helps me to focus and dial thingsproperly into place.

Below are some solutions, other than using my standard Ctrumpet, that Ive found work particularly well for me, andwhy. All parts that I am referring to are the 1st trumpet partunless otherwise noted:

Pieces Where I Use B-flat TrumpetCopland: Outdoor Overture (entire piece), Billy The Kid (reh.

#30 33)The B-flat trumpet provides a particular warmth andsmoothness that I like for both of the lyrical solos in thesetwo works by Copland. I enjoy playing my B-flat a lot andam always looking for chances to use it in the orchestra.

Shostakovich: Symphony #5Ive gone back and forth on this one, between switching tomy B-flat only for the low passage in the first movement

(reh. #18 20), and using the B-flat for theentire piece. It all goes back to one rehearsal afew summers ago when I finished the low pas-sage on the first page and wondered how itwould work to just keep using my B-flat for therest of the piece. It wasnt a music director

week so I thought what the heck, why not try it. By the endof the piece I was extremely happy with the results, and sincethe section here uses B-flats for this, the all B-flat sectionsound really had a body and power to it that worked well.Even though I had toyed with the idea of using B-flat on theentire piece for a while, I still had to do some extra practic-ing that week to make sure that in the moment, in perform-ance, I would push down the right valves after playing itmostly on C for the twenty years prior. I still go back andforth on which horn to use on this, and each time end upusing whatever feels the best that week, along with what bestfits the conductors interpretive wishes.

Bizet: Prelude to Act I of CarmenChabrier: Espaa (1st Trumpet part)Elgar: FalstaffNielsen: Symphony #4Shostakovich: Piano ConcertoSibelius: Symphony #5Strauss: Ein Heldenleben (E-flat Trumpet part: Complete or

reh. #65 66 / ending)Wagner: Overture to Tannhauser

For the rest of these pieces, and others that I use a B-flat

usIng dIfferent Keyed InstruMents In theOrchestra: When, hOW, and Why

By MIchael sachs

Inside the Orchestra Section seeks topics of interest to the orchestral musician. Ideas and suggestions should be directed to Michael Sachs,c/o The Cleveland Orchestra, Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106; orchestra@trumpetguild.org

using different equip-ment judiciously can beextremely beneficial.

2011 International Trumpet Guild June 2011 / ITG Journal 85

two weeks prior and go with that in order to keep things sta-ble and consistent leading into the week of the rehearsalsand concerts.

Beethoven: Leonore Overture #2 (Off-stage fanfare)Mozart: Symphony #39Varse: Ameriques

Pieces Where I Use G TrumpetStravinsky: Pulcinella

The G trumpet comes in very handy for a couple of the pas-sages in the Finale movement (reh. #102 104 and #116 end). With the chamber music setting for this, I use my Dtrumpet for most of this piece then switch over to the G forthese passages (I switch to the G at the end of the eighthmovement after the downbeat at reh. #99, back to the D at#104, then back to the G three bars after #114). I have alsoperformed this using the D trumpet for the entire piece.While either solution works well, I find that using the Gtrumpet for these spots allows me to glide more and keep avery leggiero sparkling feel and lift to these passages, ratherthan them potentially feeling and sounding too heavy orpushed.

Bach: Cantata #51

Pieces Where I Use Piccolo TrumpetThe piccolo trumpet in the orchestra can be a very useful

tool. I have three that I use for different purposes: a Bengefrom 1978 (this instrument has the broadest and heaviestsound yet not quite as agile as the other two), a Schilke P5-4from 1984 (this is the lightest of these three and gives me thebest ability to play in extreme high ranges and soft dynamics),and a new Schilke P-7 (this is a hybrid of the other two). Asmentioned earlier, the key to whether or not I use one of thesepiccolos is whether or not the sound quality is appropriate forthe piece or passage Im looking at. If my piccolos sound toomuch like a toy then they are not useful in virtually all settings.A while back I sought out the best mouthpieces I could findthat would give me control and body of sound without sacri-ficing the agility of the piccolo and ability to play very high,and in some cases either very loudly or very softly. You mayalso want to experiment with both the A and the B-flat crookto see which works better for sound, intonation, and how acertain passage lays on the horn. Each of my three instrumentshas a very particular sound that can be useful for one or moreof the following works:Mahler: Symphony #7 (5th Movement reh. #275 277, aufeine kleinen piston)This needs an almost cornet-like tone with agility, yet witha touch of body, so I use the Benge in A for this.

Mahler: Symphony #8 (Part I, reh. #17 bars 3 5)I use the Benge in B-flat for this. I can really crank up thevolume on this horn and get a big sound on it. If I do thingsright, this doesnt sound like a piccolo trumpet in this con-text.

Mussorgsky/Ravel: Pictures at an Exhibition (Samuel Golden-berg and Schmuyle)I go back and forth between all three of these piccolos forthis. Lately, Ive been using the Schilke P-7 in A, which givesme the best combination of agility and bite with the copperstraight mute that I use.

Ravel: Bolero (D Trumpet part)

trumpet for, the B-flats qualities fit them idiomatically alongwith the range requirements needed for various parts of someof them.

Pieces Where I Use D TrumpetRavel: Piano Concerto in G, Alborada del Gracioso

I have found that the D trumpet works wonderfully for theRavel Piano Concerto in G. This piece, using only one trum-pet, is much more of a chamber orchestra setting, requiringa lighter touch and sound blend for this part. A nice by-product of using a D for this part is that it also puts thingsinto a nice key. For Alborada del Gracioso, the same proper-ties that make the D work for the piano concerto also applyhere, especially when looking at the fast triple tonguing pas-sages.

Beethoven: Symphony #2, #7, #9For Beethoven symphonies #7 and #9 in particular, Ivefound that using a D trumpet is very helpful. I am very for-tunate to have a Monke Rotary D trumpet that has a bigbeefy sound very akin to a C trumpet. Because my D canachieve an appropriate sound for these pieces I can use thathorn, and it also puts these parts into a better key for blendand intonation.

Britten: Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes (3rd Trumpet part)This part can be played either entirely on D trumpet, or the2nd movement on piccolo trumpet and the remainder of thepiece on the D.

Miscellaneous Haydn and Mozart symphoniesStravinsky: Pulcinella

Pieces Where I Use E-flat TrumpetBartok: Concerto for Orchestra (5th movement, reh. #211

254)Again, this is a case where I am extremely fortunate to havean E-flat trumpet that has flexibility in the tone to be able toplay in a manner that can virtually replicate a C trumpetsound. I switch from my C to the E-flat in the 5th move-ment at bar #113. This gives me some time to play a fewtutti notes (concert Gs, bar #137) in order to get acclimatedto the horn so Im not starting at #211 cold. On E-flat thispassage lays great for me, allowing me to play strongly at#211 and then ride on top of the group along with the pic-colo at #234 and not have to push.

Wagner: Prelude to ParsifalFor the opening two lyrical passages, my goal is to create themost beautiful, ethereal, pure tone quality while blendingevenly in unison with the violins. Ive found that my E-flattrumpet, with the slightly lighter sound that I can get, allowsme to achieve this desired sound along with a warm espres-sivo that works very well for this moment.

Stravinsky: Petroushka (Ballerinas Dance and Waltz)Over the years, Ive gone back and forth many times decid-ing which instrument to use for this passage. My choice hasbeen between using my C trumpet, E-flat trumpet, or C cor-net. For a long time, including my auditions and when Irecorded this piece, I used an E-flat trumpet for this. I foundthat my E-flat gave me a leggiero ease for the ballerinasdance and also blended well with the flute in the waltz sec-tion. Now when I have this coming up, Ill prepare this onall three and see which is giving me the right color and feelleading up to the start of that week. Ill then make my choice

2011 International Trumpet Guild86 ITG Journal / June 2011

When composers write for cornet they are looking for a particular color and blend with these instruments. Because of this,whenever it is specified cornet in a part we use cornets in the section here. The formula is for me, as principal, to play themore prominent of the two first parts (Cornet 1 or Trumpet 1), with Lyle Steelman, the assistant principal here, playing theother first part. Below is a list of how these parts are typically cast in the Cleveland section:

MS: Michael Sachs, Principal LS: Lyle Steelman, Third/Assistant PrincipalJS: Jack Sutte, Second MM: Michael Miller, Fourth/Utility, Second Cornet

Composer Piece Cornet 1 Cornet 2 Trumpet 1 Trumpet 2Berlioz Benvenuto Cellini Overture MS MM LS JS

Corsair Overture MS MM LS JSDamnation of Faust MS MM LS JSHarold in Italy MS MM LS JSHungarian March MS MM LS JSRequiem MS MM LS JSRoman Carnival Overture MS MM LS JSRomeo and Juliet MS MM LS JSSymphonie Fantastique MS MM LS JSTe Deum MS MM LS JS

Bizet LArlesienne Suite MS MM LS. JSCarmen (original) MS MM

Chabrier Espaa MS MM LS JSDebussy La Mer LS extra MS JS/MMDukas Sorcerers Apprentice LS MM MS JSElgar Cockaine Overture MS MM LS JSElgar Pomp and Circumstance March #1 MS MM LS. JSEnesco Rumanian Rhapsody #1 LS MM MS JSFranck Symphony in d minor LS MM MS JSIves Symphony #4 LS extra MS JS/MM

Fourth of July LS MS JS/MMKodaly Hary Janos Suite LS extra MS JS/MMMartinu Half-Time (Rondo) MS MM LS JSMessiaen Turangalila Symphony MS LS JS Extra

Picc 1st C 2nd C 3rd CMM cornet

Mussorgsky Night on Bald Mountain(original version) MS MM LS JSProkofieff Lt. Kije MS LS JS

Romeo and Juliet MS LS JSShostakovich Lady McBeth of Mtensk MM extra MS JS/LSStravinsky Petroushka (1911) MS JS LS MM

(not usually played on cornets unless requested by conductor)Tchaikovsky Capriccio Italien MS MM LS JS

Coronation March MS MM LS JS1812 Overture MS MM LS JSFrancesca da Rimini MS MM LS JSManfred Symphony LS MM MS JSMarche Slave MS MM LS JSSwan Lake MS MM LS JSSleeping Beauty LS MM MS JS

Vaughn-Williams Symphony #2 (London) LS MM MS JSVerdi Don Carlo MS MM LS JS

Othello MS MM LS JSWeber/Berlioz Invitation to a Dance MS MM LS JS

In the case of Carmen, it should be noted that the original opera part asks for pistons (cornet). The suites, published by Bri-etkopf and Hartel in Germany, specify trumpet. Because the suites include different versions of the music and use of the trum-pet, we use trumpets for this, but when we performed the complete opera, we used cornets. Given this information, you canmake a case for using either instrument in both of these circumstances.

use Of cOrnets

2011 International Trumpet Guild June 2011 / ITG Journal 87

Ive used all three of these instruments (all on the B-flat side)at various times for this part. As with everything, my choicedepends on the conductor Im performing this with andwhat blend they are looking for.

Stravinsky: Petroushka (1911version reh. #132 end;1947 version, reh. #265 267)The Benge picc in B-flat isgreat for this one. I can playvery aggressively and stillhold the muted sound together.

Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (D Trumpet part)I use the Benge here and switch between the B-flat and Apipe throughout the piece as follows: Beginning 1st bar of#22 (B-flat pipe), 2 bars before #33 66 (A pipe), #70 83(B-flat pipe), #83 end of the piece (A pipe). Navigating thepiece in this manner, I can gain the best intonation and fin-gering combinations, along with using the Benge, whichgives me the ability to play all of this with an appropriateintensity, volume, and sound quality.

Britten: Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes (3rd Trumpet part,2nd movement)As mentioned before, playing the 2nd movement on picco-lo can be a nice option for this. If I were to go that route Iwould probably opt for using my Benge to get the biggestsound for this.

Miscellaneous Contemporary WorksGiven some of the extreme range issues involved with manynewer compositions, having an orchestral piccolo set up forthis repertoire is extremely useful. Ive also seen it at timesnecessary to use a piccolo trumpet for navigating all parts inthe section, not just for the 1st part.

Messiaen: (Petite Trompette in D parts)Turangalila-SymphonieChronochromieEt Expecto Resurrectionem MortuorumLa Ville den-hautConcert a Quatre

Prokofieff: Scythian Suite (3rd Trumpet part)Stravinsky: Symphony of Psalms (D Trumpet part)Varse: Ecuatorial, IntgralesWebern: Six Pieces

Mahler: Symphony #3 (Posthorn Part)There are so many options to think about when deciding

which instrument to use for the Posthorn solo in MahlersSymphony #3, that I put this in a category by itself. Mahlerhimself was unsure of which instrument he wanted to hear,indicating the use of the posthorn, piston, and flugelhorn forthis one part in different versions of this symphony. In mostcases, the acoustical setting in which you are playing will helpdictate the right instrument to use. The solution can be foundamong any of the following: B-flat, C, D, or E-flat trumpetwith a flugelhorn mouthpiece and/or a bag over the bell, a cor-net, a flugelhorn, a rotary B-flat or C, or a posthorn, all ofwhich I have heard successfully used in the performance of thisexcerpt. A few years back I found a wonderful posthorn in B-flat that I use for this. The posthorn gets a tone that feels likea hybrid of a flugelhorn and cornet and gives me the supplecolor that I want for this passage.

Use of Rotary Valve TrumpetsOver the past thirty years, American orchestra have increas-

ingly been using German rotary valve trumpets for much ofthe Germanic and Austrian classical and romantic repertoire.

In Cleveland, we use rotary trumpets for the musicof Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schu-bert, Schumann, Brahms, Bruckner, and StraussWaltzes, among others. The rotary instrumentsoffer a different color, tonal palette, and blend with-in the brass section, as well as how the trumpetsintegrate into the rest of the ensemble.

ConclusionWhile I use these options above from time to time to assist

in navigating my job, these are only a few amongst many dif-ferent solutions to playing a variety of symphonic repertoire. Icannot stress enough that the criteria for any choice needs tobe whether the sound fits the piece. If the answer is yes to thisquestion, then you can take care of the composers wishes in anappropriate stylistic manner, all hopefully culminating in asuccessful performance.

About the author: Michael Sachs joined the ClevelandOrchestra as principal trumpet in 1988. He is frequently fea-tured as soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra including theworld premiere of John Williamss Concerto for Trumpet andthe United States premiere of Hans Werner Henzes Requiem.Sachs is chairman of the brass division and head of the trum-pet department at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He regu-larly presents masterclasses and workshops at conservatoriesand major universities throughout the United States, Europe,and Asia. He is the author of Daily Fundamentals for the Trum-pet and the three-volume set of Mahler: Symphonic Works,Complete Trumpet Parts, (both published by the InternationalMusic Company), and 14 Duets for Trumpet and Trombone, co-authored with Joseph Alessi, principal trombone of theNew York Philharmonic (published by Carl Fischer Music).For more information on Michael Sachs please visit his website (http://www.MichaelSachs.com).

the criteria for any choiceneeds to be whether thesound fits the piece.