Parker Sterling

Dr. Palmer
Brass Artist Research
December 6, 2016
Jean-Baptiste Arban

Born in Lyon, France on February 28th, 1825, Jean-Baptist Arban is notoriously known as
one of the worlds most revolutionary trumpet/cornetists to have ever lived.,His more intense
instruction beginning in 1841 with Francois Dauverne at the Paris Conservatoire led him to an
understanding of the instrument and music that had not yet been reached within the activity. By
the age of 27 he was an appointed professor at Ecole Militaire. Living with in the romantic era,
there was a need to be able to play the virtuosic melodies and lines that came from this era.
During his lifetime there had not been a clear definition on how to approach practicing and
preparing for such pieces and Arban saw this as a problem. His most notable accomplishment is

his publication of his technical studies within the book Grande Methode Complete Pour Cornet
a Pistons Et de Saxhorn but is commonly known today as the Arban Method book. This book
contains studies and exercises that help build ones familiarity with the instrument as well as
dexterity. Exercises within this book include Simple studies, articulations, slurring, scales,
ornaments, multiple tonguing, duets, characteristic studies, and notoriously technical pieces.
With this book alone one could become an accomplished brass player. Arban took the time to
discover why each of these exercises is useful to brass playing and there is often commentary
within the book for each designated section. These exercises are not for true beginning players
but for those who have accomplished a basic understanding of the instrument and wish to pursue
it further.
Given that Arban knew so much about the trumpet, production companies asked him for
advice about how to make the instruments better. Collaborating with civil engineer, L. Bouvet,
he worked to improve piston valve instruments, primarily the Cornet, Saxhorn, and Trumpet.
Five years after publishing this book Arban became the professor of cornet in the Paris
Conservatoire. Following teaching students around within his conservatoire, Arban took time to
travel across Europe to conduct groups as well as teach brass methods. His work as a brass
pedagogue still echoes through classrooms today and his methods are applied on a very constant
basis by thousands. There is one famous recording of Arban performing on a phonograph
cylinder for the Edison company shortly before his death in Paris on April 8th, 1889 but the
recording has not been found. Music historians hope to one day find this recording so that we can
hear what this great teacher had to offer first hand.

Resources
Arban, Jean-Baptiste, and Wesley Jacobs. Arban Method. Ed. Allen Vizzutti. New York:
CreateSpace Independent Platform, 2014. Print.
Utnes, Ole J. "J. B. Arban." J. B. Arban. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2016.