April 8th 2009
Archive for the 'Trumpet' Category
February 16th 2009
Viennese Chamber Music
At the end of the eighteenth and beginning of the nineteenth centuries Vienna was so full of musical talent that it became known as the music capital of Europe. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert were the pillars of Viennese Classicism and each composer, in his own way, demonstrated a unique affinity for chamber music forms. Haydn and Beethoven in particular emphasized the value of the string quartet as a vehicle for expressing music’s profoundest thoughts. Continue Reading »
November 23rd 2008
The didgeridoo
A long, deep, vibrating growl is followed by a gruff boom. A throttled scream is quickly replaced by explosive barks. High squeaks seem to mix with strange and muffled voices. And all the time there is the long, deep growl .. . Continue Reading »
November 13th 2008
Natural Music Trumpets and Horns
Early trumpets and horns were made from natural materials in just the same way as early pipes. However, unlike pipes, trumpets and horns have a thin end to blow through and a thicker, cone- shaped end to carry the sound out into the air. It’s often difficult to tell the difference between an early trumpet and an early horn. Trumpets are usually straight and horns are usually curved. Continue Reading »
November 13th 2008
The modern Musical Trumpet
In 1939, a rare silver trumpet with a long, straight tube was blown for the first time in 3,000 years. It was a tense and exciting moment. The effect was shattering. The trumpet broke into several pieces! The trumpet was one of two discovered in the tomb of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Continue Reading »
November 5th 2008
Modern Brass Music Instruments
The modern trumpet belongs to a family of metal instruments that we call brass instruments. The other main members of the family are the tuba, the trombone and the French horn. When these instruments play together in an orchestra, we call them the brass section. Continue Reading »
November 5th 2008
Playing Music together Brass bands
Can you imagine the sound of lots of brass instruments all playing together? Think of a band of musicians turning the corner and marching down your street! They are playing trombones, trumpets and horns, not to mention cornets and tubas, as well as drums and crashing cymbals. You would probably see the trombone players first. They often lead a parade, so that there is plenty of space for their long slides to move in and out.
Special instruments
Brass bands have several of their own special brass instruments, which you wouldn’t normally see in an orchestral brass section. One of these is the cornet. Continue Reading »
October 24th 2008
The organ (the world largest Wind Music Instrument)
This picture shows a beautiful example of one of the largest of all wind instruments. It is an organ. Just imagine how much air is needed to make all these organ pipes sound!
Of course, people don’t blow into organ pipes. Mechanical gadgets such as bellows and electric motors are used. In the very first organs, made in Ancient Greece and Rome over 2,000 years ago, water was used to force air through the pipes. The first organ was called a hydraulic, from the Greek words for `water’ and ‘pipe’. According to writers of the time, the sound was so powerful it could be heard many miles away and the players had to plug their ears! Continue Reading »
October 3rd 2008
A History of Brass Instruments: The trumpet, French Horn, trombone, Tuba, Sousaphone, Cornet, Euphonium continue…
Even though the tone of the trumpet is very brilliant, it is capable of playing beautiful melodies. When its sound is blended with that of other instruments, new and exciting sounds are created. As with all brass instruments, the tone of the trumpet can be altered by placing a mute in the bell. This is a cone-shaped device usually made of metal or fibreboard. A muted trumpet has a soft, faraway sound and is often used to represent an echo of the sounds of other instruments. Continue Reading »
October 3rd 2008
A History of Brass Instruments: The trumpet, French Horn, trombone, Tuba, Sousaphone, Cornet, Euphonium
Thousands of years ago man discovered that by boring a hole in the side of an animal horn and forcing air through the opening, he could produce sounds that were useful in sending messages short distances. The sound was generated by the player’s either buzzing his lips into the small opening or by blowing across the opening as you would blow across the top of a Coke bottle. The horn then amplified the sound and made it loud enough to be heard some distance away. Continue Reading »
