Sunday, February 12, 2012

Do We Say That? A Retrospective

I was just going to hold off posting until Hector Berlioz Day, but I feel like this should get a special mention.  I found this video today, following a certain trend on YouTube and the like, and am not entirely sure how good of a light it sheds on the trumpet.  Let's break it down and analyse this, shall we?


My chops just feel weird today - Ooooh, we all know that excuse. XD I keep trying to tell myself, "it's all about air, chops don't really do much," but there are still days when muscles that NEED to do SOMETHING just... don't. And we like to whine, so it works.

It went pretty well, I hit the high D at the end - Heh, I wonder if he's referring to the Stevens sonata.  Yeah, I hate to say it, but I've been known to judge the success/failure of concerts on a single high note.  I'm getting better at not doing that; but then again, I'm also getting better at high notes, so there's a balance there.

That rehearsal today just killed my face - I know that feel, bro.  Also getting better at this one.  For a purely classical player, my one awesome face-killer warstory is playing lead for a salsa concert that was 3.5 hours of rehearsal, 30 mins dinner break, 3 hour concert, and then popping as many licks as were tasteful in the last tune up the octave, just to go out with a (slightly douchey) bang.

What kind of mouthpiece / how high...? - These aren't things I personally ask another player.  I almost feel like asking how high you play would be akin to asking... idk... what kind of magic you excel at, or how good you are at romancing.  I know that makes no sense, but my brain works in weird ways. XD

X person sucks - Ho boy.  I used to joke about a hypothetical "Shit Trumpet Players Say" video that was just this with random names inserted the whole time.  I really hate this stereotype, but all stereotypes have to have come from SOMEWHERE. >.<

Do you have any valve oil? - WELCOME TO MY LIIIIIFE XD

I got up to a double G-sharp today - Oh, good to know.  I pulled off a Baton Pass chain into a Hoppip sweep.  (I'm not ALWAYS that salty over my rather low high range, but I can be at times)

I can play my part, why can't the strings? - Well, have you ever seen the average trumpet part?  My god, we're such jerks. XD

Have you seen Mark Gould's Petrouchka video? - If you haven't, watch it. Now.


Dude, you just gotta blow - Yeah, we like to make things sound easy to others.  Part of the stereotypical showoffey mood, I think.

You want me to play jazz? Soooo... bad articulation and really out of tune? - HAH. I didn't think they'd throw a classical/orchestral elitism joke in there.  That just made me happy.  Bonus points, video.

Hey, we should play the Vivaldi sometime - Yep.  This.  Lots and lots of this.

Hey, can you come listen to my Petrouchka? - Oh my holy Arceus I hate that excerpt.  And it sounds so... "cutesy."  I swear it's harder than Mahler 5, Parsifal, and Magnificat combined.  Well... maybe not Magnificat.

The performance was absolutely terribly because I cracked the high C - Sigh, yet again, judging a performance by what the trumpet has to hit.  Hmm, wonder what the odds are he's referring to Honegger... probably not great, but I like arbitrarily assigning pieces to these comments.

The conductor wanted us to play softer today, so we played louder, and it was awesome - This is the exact moment I started feeling distaste towards these guys.  This immature high-school mindset that I've been trying for FIVE YEARS to get even my best friends to not assign to me, often to no avail.

Do you have the Dokschitzer recording of that? - If you mean the Arutunian, than yes, I do.  And so should you.  Here's the first half:



"p" is for powerful.  "pp" is for pretty powerful - Okay, that made me chuckle a little bit.

Dude, my double-tonguing is starting to sound really even - OHMYGOD my Arutunian was starting to sound SOOO PRO in the practice room yesterday.  Wasn't quite as good today, but I didn't play a lot today, so I'll keep going with it and see what happens.

Have you heard the Mahler 5 recording with Bud Herseth? - I think you get shot if you haven't... >.>


This new Yamaha I got is so free-blowing - *pretentious snicker*

Dude, my Charlier sound really good after I've practiced for like four hours - Yeah, it's taken me anywhere between one hour and... millenia... to get some of those.  Four hours is plausible for the first 10-15 or so, definitely not for the last 5-10.  Or maybe I just suck.  You make the call.  Jerk.

I only played seven notes in rehearsal today - And on the Third Day, the string sectional came to a halt, and the Trumpet player arose to perform His Holy Simphonae for the world.  Yeah, we know that feel, eh Ramona, Thalberg, et al?

I'm working on the Tomasi right now - Damn, I keep forgetting to buy that!  Next time I purchase a bundle of music (can't remember if I've done that rant yet), I'll have to try and remember it.

...Louder?

I think that last one speaks for itself.  Final verdict... lots of good moments, but also lots of moments that reinforce stereotypical trumpet arrogance and egocentricity.  There are definitely things to take to heart, but remember, this is what ALL trumpet players say.  The good ones... and the bad ones.  They didn't discriminate, which is good for the sake of accuracy, but bad for the ones who try to distance themselves from that bad rap.

Ah well, next time... a little treat. :P  See you Tuesday!

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