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Catholic Schoolhouse Year 3 - Rhetoric Level - Music

Quarter 4 – Brass Instruments

Class Opener:

Brainstorm all the places and genres that you recall in which brass instruments commonly perform. Which are your favorites? Can you easily tell when you are hearing a versus another kind of instrument? How can you tell?

Brass Instruments

The brass family of instruments are wind instruments usually made of brass or other metal through which a sound is produced by buzzing the lips into a and using the lips, chin and tongue to alter the pitch. Brass instruments are , or wind instruments, and though they may appear fairly complicated, they are really just a long metal tube through which air travels. These metal tubes are typically bent into S-curves or loops to make them more compact and easy to handle, but if they were each to be stretched to their maximum length, it would be evident that the shorter instruments produce higher sounds than the longer ones. That is because the column of air in the instrument, like the length of the string on a or , is what vibrates and determines the pitch. The pitch of a brass instrument can be altered by using the lips alone to reach the octaves, fifths and fourths, but the remaining notes are produced by means of valves, which redirect the air through the metal tube in various directions, or slides, which lengthen the metal tube to various degrees.

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Basic brass instruments include the , French , , and . Like the woodwinds, each of these basic orchestral instruments belongs to a family of its own, providing a greater variety of sound, color and texture to the or band. While brass instruments can be played softly, they are naturally among the louder instruments. They are usually used to some degree in any kind of band or orchestra, and they can be featured as soloists or participate in smaller chamber groups so long as their sound does not overpower the other instruments. The brass instrument most commonly used in woodwind , for example, is the , which has a bell facing away from the audience and is muted by the player's hand which is placed inside the bell to control volume and, historically, pitch. Brass instruments may also use mutes to soften their sound and create various kinds of tones. Brass instruments of course also commonly have ensembles of their own, where their sounds blend more than compete with one another.

Listen:

Canadian Brass Ensemble plays Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZO5KTJTwhE

“Jupiter” from Gustav Holst's The Planets, performed by the Black Dyke https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvDZXUbljuM

Discuss:

• How does the overall sound of the group change when there are no woodwinds or strings? How would you describe the sound of brass instruments as compared to woodwinds? (Besides quieter) • What is an ? Can you name some other aerophones besides the four mentioned in this lesson? • Do the two pieces above sound at all familiar to you? Which do you like better?

Trumpet

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Trumpets are among the most ancient of brass instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC. In ancient times, because they were so easily heard from a distance, they were used for calling people's attention to something important, like the arrival of a king, or the beginning of a battle, or they might have functioned as a signal that worship would soon begin. Indeed, the trumpet is referenced in the Bible far more than any other instrument, and the ancient Hebrews even had a liturgical feast every year which was often called the Feast of , but is now known as . The feast was essentially a trumpet-call to repentance in preparation for the New Year according to the . A priest would blow a , which is a ram's horn, and its sound could be heard far and wide. are still commonly used in Jewish worship today. There are several types of trumpets but the most commonly used one is the B-flat trumpet. Early trumpets were not really trumpets but , and did not have valves but were simply long metal tubes that flared to a bell shape at the end. This meant that the notes that the instruments could play were very limited; that is, only the octaves, fifths and some others. Military songs such as “Reveille” and “” were derived from this limitation, and many early regal fanfares likewise were also produced using these simple types of trumpets. Fanfares are short tunes or flourishes played by brass instruments that serve to introduce someone or something important. Valves were invented in the early 19th century and essentially filled in all the gaps of the scale, allowing these instruments to play all the chromatic notes in their range. This is what eventually gave way to the modern trumpet. Trumpets typically are fashioned with piston valves, as in the diagram below. A works by depressing a key which then redirects the airflow through a different tube, making the overall tube slightly longer and thereby lowering the sound. Most trumpets have at least three piston valves. The first one lowers the pitch by a whole tone, the second by a semitone, and the third lowers it by a minor third. Trumpets serve as the soprano voice of the in the band or orchestra, typically playing the higher and more melodious parts of the music, along with , , and . Owing to their power of volume, trumpet sections tend to be larger in bands than they are in , where there are usually only two to four players. Some famous composers of well-known trumpet music include J.S. Bach, Haydn, and scores of modern era composers. Other instruments related to the trumpet are the , , and . There are also trumpets suited to various keys (A, C, D, E-flat, E, F and G) which increase in size to create a fuller lower range.

image credit Listen:

Introductory material:

Introduction to the Trumpet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIp7K2UFgE

Comparison of different trumpet sounds https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UxaeYoDtdA

Sound of the Hebrew shofar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8t1r2DSxsg

Noteworthy musical works:

J.S. Bach's Rondeau (known as the theme for Masterpiece Theater), a good example of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NhqwAbV-a4

Wynton Marsalis plays Carnival of Venice, an excellent example of virtuosic solo trumpet playing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inED9IicIpc

Examples of fanfare:

U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps Trumpet Ensemble playing Cavalry Fanfare by Jan Dismas Zelenka https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UhERt4dDLU

Olympic Fanfare by John Williams, performed by Cyprus Brass Ensemble https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gsCxvrZoCM

Discuss:

• Have you ever heard a fanfare before? Where and when? What do all fanfares seem to have in common? When else are they used? • How is the shofar similar and different from a modern trumpet, not just in appearance but also in sound? • Do you think it is appropriate to bring trumpets into the worship space for or not?

French Horn

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French horns are recognized by their signature hoop shape and large flaring bell, reminiscent of historic hunting horns used to call hounds to a fox chase. French horns and are, among all the brass instruments, the ones which probably best simulate the sound and range of the , and that's why they were often included in church services in classical times while trumpets were usually considered too loud for worship. Some French horns have piston valves like the trumpet, but most modern French horns have rotary valves, as seen in the diagram below. Rotary valves were first applied to brass instruments in 1818 by two German men named Heinrich Stölzel and Friedrich Blümel and replaced the older system of crooks. Crooks were segments of tubing in various lengths which were attached or unattached to the horn according to what pitches were needed. Rotary valves are far more efficient and easier to use than crooks. They work by rotating 90 degrees when a corresponding key is pressed, redirecting the air through different channels to produce different tones.

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The first French horn was called a single horn. You could play either an F horn or a B-flat horn at one time, but both were often needed in a typical orchestral performance in order to be able to reach notes in various ranges while still maintaining a nice tone quality. F horns worked better in the lower range, and B-flat horns were better for the higher range. But in 1897 a double horn was invented that combined the best of both worlds into one instrument. A double horn is essentially what it sounds like: two horns in one. More recently, a triple horn was also developed. Some other similar types of horns include the , which, like the , has no valves and is most like what we think of when we see or hear about an old-fashioned British fox chase. There is also the , which is primarily used in Vienna, Austria, and has piston valves and crooks, and the , which is a horn that looks like a large version of a trumpet or flugelhorn, and is often used in place of the French horn in marching bands since it is easier to carry and has a similar range. There is also a , which, though it looks a little like a tuba, is really closer in its construction to a French horn than it is to a tuba, although it is noticeably larger than a horn, and was invented by Richard Wagner in 1853 specifically for his famous operatic cycle, Der Ring des Nibelungen. French horns provide the alto voices for the band or orchestra, along with the , clarinets, and . There can be anywhere from two to eight french horns in an orchestra, depending on the musical piece. Some notable composers for French horn include Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Tchaikovsky, and Wagner.

Listen:

Introduction to the French Horn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK0UFgnrIqY

Mozart's No. 4, “Rondo” for French horn solo and orchestra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPe4PZJYN60

Vienna Horns perform an arrangement of the theme of Back to the Future https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnFl1q0IYTA

Introduction to the Wagner tuba https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgfqe4XHA78

Discuss:

• Although French horns are very typically found in most orchestras, they are not generally involved in big bands, bands or marching bands. Why do you think this might be? • Why would a French horn generally be more suitable in a woodwind than a trumpet, trombone or tuba?

Trombone

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A trombone is a relatively simple instrument, distinguishing itself from all the other instruments with its recognizable feature of the slide. A slide is a mechanism on the instrument that alters the pitch by literally sliding telescopically positioned metal tubes away from the trombonist at varying lengths to produce various pitches. Many modern trombones are also equipped with a . While they normally play consecutive pitches like most instruments, trombones are also known for their characteristic glissando technique, whereby the slide is smoothly pulled up or down instead of positioning it at specific intervals, providing for a smooth rip up or down the scale. Like most of the instruments we've discussed up til now, a trombone has a primarily cylindrical shape, only beginning to flare out as it reaches the bell. The types of trombones most commonly played today are the tenor and bass trombones, but like all the instrument families, there is a range of trombone instruments from piccolo to contrabass. Like the trumpet, many different kinds of mutes can be used to alter the volume or timbre of the trombone. Mutes are sometimes necessary on brass instruments to make them quieter, which is useful when practicing at home or when trying to blend better with the quieter woodwind instruments, but its also fun to try different types of mutes and hear all the interesting sounds they can produce! Trombones, together with the bassoons, , tenor saxophones and , comprise the tenor range of the orchestra or band. There are usually three trombones in a typical orchestra, and perhaps a couple or so more in a band. Some famous composers of good trombone music include Beethoven, Berlioz, Wagner, Strauss, Milhaud and Stravinsky.

Listen:

Introduction to the Trombone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EndhDQWlUgg

Demonstration of various types of trombone mutes. Which is your favorite? What purposes do you think the various mutes would serve? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWuYLFTe3_8

Beethoven's Three Equali for Four Trombones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9SvT2SQNHE

Slide! Trombone playing the Pink Panther theme song, arranged by Bart van Gorp; demonstrates the trombone slide glissando technique. Do you hear the glissando technique being implemented here? Does it add to the “jazzy” feel of the piece? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D97ZZh6GKzc

Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra perform “Song of India”, Dorsey on trombone (good example of using a mute) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yRIUuUJpJM

Szeged Trombone Ensemble performs Lord of the Rings theme by Howard Shore, Arr. By Aron Simon; Can you describe a difference in style between the Lord of the Rings piece and Song of India? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZiPN1nOwbE

Tuba

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The tuba is one of the lowest-pitched instruments in the orchestra, along with the and the string bass. Tuba is the Latin word for “trumpet”, and the instrument comes to us comparatively recently, from the mid-19th century. are conical, not cylindrical, meaning that the metal tubing gradually increases in width throughout the instrument, not just at the bell, as you can see in the picture above, similar to an ice cream cone if the cone was bent into loops. Piston valves are most common on tubas, but rotary valves are featured on some tubas. Piston valves require more maintenance than rotary valves, needing to be oiled constantly, but rotary valves are much more difficult to disassemble and repair than piston valves, and usually require a skilled repairman. Tubas usually have anywhere from three to six valves and come in different sizes and melodic ranges, including the tenor (or ), the bass, contrabass and subcontrabass. The tuba is mostly suitable for seated playing in concert or jazz bands, but, though it is the heaviest instrument, it is possible to march with it. Most marching bands, however, tend to opt for the , which is designed to be worn on the player's body. The sousaphone wraps around the player's body like a pretzel, looping around the back of the head and resting the heaviest part of the instrument on the shoulder, with a larger bell facing the audience. As might be imagined, a certain amount of strength is required to be able to carry such a large instrument in a parade or on a football field. John Philip Sousa first proposed the idea of the sousaphone to James Welsh Pepper, who built the instrument in 1893. In 1908 the U.S. Marine Band adopted it for use, and it is still commonly used today in marching bands of all sorts, although most drum corps nowadays opt for the contrabass bugle, which is carried on the shoulder. Tubas join the bass voice of the orchestra, along with the string bass, bass clarinets, contrabassoon, baritone , and tympani. Typically they are given the lowest notes of the musical chords or provide supportive rhythms to keep the piece moving, such as an oom-pah, oom-pah rhythm pattern that might be featured in a march. Though their music generally may not be as interesting as that of the instruments given the melody, their part in the orchestra is very important as it provides a deepness of tone and sonority that would not be otherwise achieved. There are moments, though, as there are with all instruments, where tubas have a chance to shine with solos. Famous composers of tuba music include Wagner, Strauss, Berlioz and Sousa.

Listen:

Introduction to the Tuba https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzH4XAv9ZCQ

Tuba solo: Oystein Baadsvik plays Vittorio Monti's Czardas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYOsNp4O7AU

Melton Tuba Quartet plays Rossini's https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IZgQc_NMvI

Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle corps compete in a 1988 competition playing “Malaguena”. Watch carefully and notice the as well as the contrabass bugles (the two largest brass instruments). Can you hear the bass line? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PECUpJuUeAQ

Discuss:

• Do you think tubas, because of their low range are easier or harder to hear from a distance? Why do you think they are so often given the drier parts of the music? What purpose do they serve in a ? • Which is your favorite brass instrument?