Fanfares and Finesse: A Performer's Guide to Trumpet History and Literature

by Elisa Koehler

Overview

Unlike the violin, which has flourished largely unchanged for close to four centuries, the trumpet has endured numerous changes in design and social status from the battlefield to the bandstand and ultimately to the concert hall. This colorful past is reflected in the arsenal of instruments a classical trumpeter employs during a performance, sometimes using no fewer than five in different keys and configurations to accurately reproduce music from the past. With the rise in historically inspired performances comes the necessity for trumpeters to know more about their instrument's heritage, its repertoire, and different performance practices for old music on new and period-specific instruments. More than just a history of the trumpet, this essential reference book is a comprehensive guide for musicians who bring that musical history to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253011794
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	02/27/2014
Edition description:	Annotated
Pages:	328
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Elisa Koehler is Associate Professor of Music at Goucher College and Music Director and Conductor of the Frederick Symphony Orchestra.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Author's Note
Acknowledgements
1. Fanfares and Finesse: An Introduction
2. The Natural Trumpet
3. The Modern Baroque Trumpet with Vent Holes
4. The Cornetto
5. The Slide Trumpet
6. The Quest for Chromaticism: Hand-Stopping, Keys, and Valves
7. Bugles, Flügels, and Horns
8. The Cornet
9. Changing of the Guard: Trumpets in Transition
10. Smaller Trumpets
11. Pitch, Temperament, and Transposition
12. Early Repertoire and Performance Practice
13. Baroque Repertoire
14. Classical Repertoire
15. Signals, Calls, and Fanfares
16. Strike up the Band
17. The Modern Orchestral Trumpet
18. Jazz and the Trumpet
19. Solo Repertoire after 1900
20. Brass Chamber Music
21. Trumpeting in the Twenty-First Century
Appendix A: List of Names and Dates
Appendix B: Significant Events in Trumpets History
Appendix C: Selected Recordings: An Annotated List
Appendix D: Museums with Instrument Collections
Appendix E: Period Instrument Resources
Notes
Bibliography
Index

What People are Saying About This

Louisiana State University - Brian Shaw

Elisa Koehler's book is a resource all trumpeters will not want to be without!

Editorial Reviews

"Whether an enthusiastic student or a seasoned professional, I wholeheartedly endorse this book. Elisa Koehler should be commended for this wonderful addition to the market—I can guarantee it will remain a resource that will get you reaching for your shelf time and time again."—The Brass Herald

"Elisa Koehler has given us a thoughtful and much needed reference book and guide for the contemporary trumpeter. Her gentle conversational style may convince more players to expore trumpet history and even the broader cultural history in which trumpet music is firmly placed.2014"—Historic Brass Society Journal

"Fanfares and Finesse is a wonderful addition to the literature on trumpet history. It is a fabulous resource for performers, while historians and pedagogues will find great value in it as well. Dr. Koehler is to be commended for such a valuable contribution to our discipline."—ITG Journal

"[T]his book is highly recommended for any moderately advanced trumpet player or for inclusion in any library serving even a small population of trumpeters. It will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding historically informed performance practice for the trumpet and its many predecessors."—Notes

"Koehler has created a compendium of trumpet history with short, fact-filled chapters. It will serve both amateur and professional musicians alike, and few could read this text without learning something. Fanfares and Finesse is a thorough sampling of trumpet topics, including something of interest for every trumpet player, brass enthusiast, or curious reader."—Pan Pipes

"Serving as a concise guide linking the history of trumpet to performance, this book includes information on band music, bugle calls, orchestral repertoire, and jazz. Particularly useful are the sections on transposition, and how jazz is written versus played. . . . Teachers and performers alike will benefit from this book."—American Reference Books Annual

"Trumpet players in a wide variety of situations and at many levels will find a great deal of useful information, presented in a clear, engaging, reader-friendly way yet backed by solid research. While some topics are covered in more depth than others, Koehler's breadth of vision and thoroughness are commendable. Helpful appendixes and an extensive bibliography are a bonus. For all trumpeters and anyone who teaches them."—Choice

"Elisa Koehler's book is a resource all trumpeters will not want to be without!"—Brian Shaw, Louisiana State University

From the Publisher

Trumpet players in a wide variety of situations and at many levels will find a great deal of useful information, presented in a clear, engaging, reader-friendly way yet backed by solid research. While some topics are covered in more depth than others, Koehler's breadth of vision and thoroughness are commendable. Helpful appendixes and an extensive bibliography are a bonus. For all trumpeters and anyone who teaches them.

Choice

Serving as a concise guide linking the history of trumpet to performance, this book includes information on band music, bugle calls, orchestral repertoire, and jazz. Particularly useful are the sections on transposition, and how jazz is written versus played. . . . Teachers and performers alike will benefit from this book.

American Reference Books Annual

Elisa Koehler has given us a thoughtful and much needed reference book and guide for the contemporary trumpeter. Her gentle conversational style may convince more players to expore trumpet history and even the broader cultural history in which trumpet music is firmly placed.2014

Historic Brass Society Journal

Koehler has created a compendium of trumpet history with short, fact-filled chapters. It will serve both amateur and professional musicians alike, and few could read this text without learning something. Fanfares and Finesse is a thorough sampling of trumpet topics, including something of interest for every trumpet player, brass enthusiast, or curious reader.

Pan Pipes

Fanfares and Finesse is a wonderful addition to the literature on trumpet history. It is a fabulous resource for performers, while historians and pedagogues will find great value in it as well. Dr. Koehler is to be commended for such a valuable contribution to our discipline.

ITG Journal

[T]his book is highly recommended for any moderately advanced trumpet player or for inclusion in any library serving even a small population of trumpeters. It will be a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding historically informed performance practice for the trumpet and its many predecessors.

Notes

Whether an enthusiastic student or a seasoned professional, I wholeheartedly endorse this book. Elisa Koehler should be commended for this wonderful addition to the market—I can guarantee it will remain a resource that will get you reaching for your shelf time and time again.

The Brass Herald

"Elisa Koehler’s book is a resource all trumpeters will not want to be without!" —Brian Shaw, Louisiana State University

Brian Shaw