THE EVOLUTION OF TRUMPET

Research question and methodology

Is it legit to choose the instrument that we want,

or should we keep in mind the idea that the
composer had when he wrote the piece?

Student: Tomás Tena Muñoz

Professor: Philippe Lamouris

Subject: Artistic Research

Academic year: 2022/2023

 Tomás Tena Muñoz

ÍNDICE

1. ABSTRACT 2

2. THE EVOLUTION OF TRUMPET 3

3. WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS RESEARCH QUESTION? 5

4. CONCLUSION 8

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 Tomás Tena Muñoz

1. ABSTRACT

First of all, I would like to make a brief summary of the subject of my research,
which is about the physical and conceptual evolution of the trumpet in the last
centuries.

Also, I will briefly explain the current context of the trumpet, and why this work
can help me and other musicians who may be facing the same doubts as me,
providing the most interesting bibliographical sources.

I will also try to answer the research question, which is: Is it legit to choose the
instrument that we want, or should we keep in mind the idea that the
composer had when he wrote the piece?

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 Tomás Tena Muñoz

2. THE EVOLUTION OF TRUMPET

I will explain this point briefly, since it does not serve to answer the research
question directly, it serves to explain why I came up with this question.

The trumpet is a brass musical instrument that has undergone significant

changes throughout its history. Originally, the trumpet was a natural valve
instrument, known as the "natural trumpet" or "clarino". This type of trumpet
was used in baroque music and was characterized by a fixed tube length and
a bright timbre1.

At the end of the 18th century, the first valves were introduced in the trumpet,
which allowed musicians to play different notes without having to use
complicated embouchure changing techniques. These early valves were
primitive and limited in their operation, but they laid the foundation for the later
development of the modern trumpet.

During the 19th century, numerous advances were made in trumpet

construction. Austrian inventor Johann Michael Stölzel and German
instrument maker Friedrich Blühmel introduced piston valves, which improved
playability and expanded the tonal range of the instrument. Later, rotary valves
were developed, popularized by French instrument makers such as Adolphe
Sax and Antoine Courtois.

As the 20th century progressed, trumpet makers experimented with different

materials and designs to further improve the sound quality and response of
the instrument. In addition, improvements were made to valves and tuning
mechanisms to facilitate accurate playing.

Today, the modern trumpet has become a versatile instrument used in a wide
range of musical genres, from classical music to jazz and pop. Advances in
manufacturing technology and the materials used, such as brass and silver,

1
Philip Bate, The Trumpet and Trombone (London: W.W. Norton & Company Inc., 1966), 88

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have enabled manufacturers to produce high quality trumpets with exceptional

response and projection.

In short, the trumpet has evolved from the natural trumpet to the modern
trumpet through significant changes in valves, design and materials used.
These advances have helped to expand the tonal range, improve playability
and allow the trumpet to adapt to a wide variety of musical styles.

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 Tomás Tena Muñoz

3. WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS RESEARCH QUESTION?

As I have explained before, the trumpet has had many physical changes
during the last centuries, so I thought: why today we play the music of Bach,
Mozart, Beethoven, etc... with modern trumpets if in fact at the time of these
composers, they had no idea of what could become the trumpet today?

So, should we play with the baroque trumpet for example all the works of
bach, to be faithful and try to sound as Bach thought when he composed his
works or should we adapt to the modern trumpet to have more ease in the
interpretation?

One of the people who has done most research on the subject of the natural
trumpet is trumpeter and musicologist Edward Tarr.

He has written several books on the evolution of the trumpet such as The
Trumpet2. This book is considered a classic reference on the history and
evolution of the trumpet. It provides a detailed analysis of the different types of
trumpet throughout history, including the natural trumpet and its transition to
the modern trumpet.

I would like to give two clear examples of works in which we can see this
dilemma.
The first one is in the overture Leonora No. 3 by L.V. Beethoven3 (I used this
same example in the presentation).

2
Edward Tarr, The Trumpet. Trans. by E. Plank & Edward Tarr (Germany:Batsford Ltd, 1988)

3
«Leonora 3 Beethoven Zubin Metha Trumpet Excerpt», Youtube, access on 3rd of June of 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUJBeb8M0v4 .

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 Tomás Tena Muñoz

This overture of the Opera Fidelio, was composed in 1804, so the modern
trumpet of today was not fully developed and was played with the natural
trumpet.

However today in all prestigious orchestras it is played with the modern

trumpet.

The second example is a little more modern, in Gustav Mahler's symphony

number 34 , where the Austrian composer specifies in a fragment that the
"post horn" or "hunting horn" should be used, however this instrument is very
unusual and is usually performed with the modern trumpet or flugelhorn. I add
a video where Omar Tomasoni, principal trumpet of the Royale Concertgebow
Orkest, explains this particular excerpt and the difference between these two
instruments.

Other books that have given me another point of view have been "Historical
Performance Practice: The Art of Musical Interpretation”5 by Robert
Donington: This book explores the importance of using ancient instruments in
historically informed musical performance. Examines how knowledge of

4
«Mahler 3 posthorn solo - Omar Tomasoni», Youtube, access on 3rd of June of 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-ubHf8JKBQ
5
Robert Donington. Historical Performance Practice: The Art of Musical Interpretation.(U.K. : W W
NORTON & CO, 1992).

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historical playing practices can affect interpretation of music from different

eras.

Or also "Playing with History: The Historical Approach to Musical

Performance"6 by John Butt: This book examines the importance of using
ancient instruments and following historical practices in musical performance.
It analyzes the reasons behind the growing popularity of historically informed
music and explores the challenges and benefits of this approach.

6
John Butt, Playing with History: The Historical Approach to Musical Performance (U.K. :Cambridge
University Press, 2002).

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 Tomás Tena Muñoz

4. CONCLUSION
To end this work and try to give my opinion as well as my definitive answer to
the research question, this is a very subjective topic, which for me cannot and
should not have a single answer.
This will depend on the personal situation of each individual and their personal
preferences, surely if you ask a historian or musicologist about Renaissance
or Baroque music, they may tell you that you should use ancient instruments.

However, as a performer and trumpet player, I am going to look for the

instrument that best suits my abilities and with which I feel most comfortable at
the moment of interpreting the piece in question.

That is why I believe that the interpreter must have a minimum of freedom to
choose the instrument in question.