Analysis of Roberto Sierra's Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind

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Analysis of Roberto Sierra's Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Analysis of Roberto Sierra’s Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Ensemble by Orlando Ruiz M.M. B.M. A Research Document In Music Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS Approved Dr. Andrew Stetson Chair of Committee Dr. Peter Fisher Dr. Sarah McKoin Dr. Christopher Smith Mark Sheridan Dean of the Graduate School August 2020 Copyright 2020, Orlando Ruiz Texas Tech University, Orlando Ruiz, August 2020 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want to thank God for being the source of strength in every moment and my teacher in every decision I make in life. To my parents Orlando Ruiz Sr. and Dorca Rodriguez, for their unconditional support and belief in me in every step of my musical career. To my wife, Gloria Torres, for her unconditional support and reminding me that this is the beginning of a long journey of music exploration. I would also like to thank Roberto Sierra, Brian Shaw, Mark Scatterday, and Steven Trinkle. Their contributions have been essential in documenting the origins of Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Ensemble, which is vital in disseminating this piece throughout the trumpet community. I want to thank Dr. Peter Fisher for his time, advice, and suggestions during the process of analysis, as well as Dr. Smith, Dr. Stetson, and Dr. McKoin. ii Texas Tech University, Orlando Ruiz, August 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................... ii ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. v I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 1 II. HISTORY OF THE TRUMPET’S CAPACITY TO EXECUTE CHROMATICS ..................................................................................................... 3 The Conservatories’ role in the valve trumpet’s literature .............................. 8 Rhapsody: definitions and characteristics ...................................................... 12 III. ANALYSIS ON RAPSODIA FOR TRUMPET & WIND ENSEMBLE BY ROBERTO SIERRA .................................................................................... 14 Instrumentation .............................................................................................. 14 Methodolgy .................................................................................................... 15 Description of contrasting sections of Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet & Wind Ensemble ......................................................................................................... 16 Con Libertad (With Freedom) m. 1-20 ..................................................... 17 Veloz (Fast) m. 21-159 ............................................................................. 23 Expresivo (Expresive) m. 160-222 ........................................................... 30 Movido (Moved) m. 223-280 .................................................................... 37 Coda m. 281-318 ....................................................................................... 46 IV. CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................... 48 Bibliography ……………………………………………………………………50 iii Texas Tech University, Orlando Ruiz, August 2020 APPENDICES APPENDIX A: LIST OF MOST COMMON COLLECTIONS AND TONAL CENTERS .................................................................................. 51 APPENDIX B: INITIAL E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE TO ROBERTO SIERRA .................................................................................... 52 APPENDIX C: QUESTIONS E-MAILED TO ROBERTO SIERRA ........... 53 APPENDIX D: INITIAL E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE TO DR. BRIAN SHAW ...................................................................................... 57 APPENDIX E: QUESTIONS E-MAILED TO DR. BRIAN SHAW .............. 58 APPENDIX F: INITIAL E-MAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH DR. STEVEN TRINKLE ....................................................................... 61 APPENDIX G: QUESTIONS E-MAILED TO DR. STEVEN TRINKLEE .......................................................................... 62 APPENDIX H: PROGRAM OF OFFICIAL PREMIERE OF RAPSODIA FOR SOLO TRUMPET & WIND ENSEMBLE ........................... 65 APPENDIX I: COPYRIGHT PERMISSION .................................................. 66 iv Texas Tech University, Orlando Ruiz, August 2020 ABSTRACT Most of the new repertoire for solo trumpet and large ensemble consists of a hard or professional level, employing traditional forms like concertos, themes, and variations. Roberto Sierra's Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Ensemble is an atonal piece that breaks with conventional musical forms and brings a new language to the solo trumpet literature. Sierra’s (1953) elaborate and mature catalog published by Subito Music Corporation is currently being performed in prestigious venues and ensembles all over the world. The purpose of this investigation is to explore the contribution Roberto Sierra makes to the trumpet repertoire with Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Ensemble by analyzing the piece and interviewing Roberto Sierra, Steven Trinkle, and Brian Shaw. Roberto Sierra’s Rapsodia for Solo Trumpet and Wind Ensemble has excellent potential for performance as well as meaningful pedagogical applications. Therefore, it should be considered more seriously as a standard piece in the trumpet repertoire. v Texas Tech University, Orlando Ruiz, August 2020 LIST OF FIGURES 1.1 Harmonic series of the natural trumpet in D ............................................... 3 1.2 G. Torelli, Concerto in D for trumpet, strings, and continuo, 1658. m. 1-18 .............................................................................................. 4 1.3 J. N. Hummel, Trumpet Concerto in E, 1803, m. 127- 185 ........................ 6 2.1 Clockface for post-tonal analysis .............................................................. 15 2.2 Solo Trumpet, m. 1-3 ................................................................................ 18 2.3 Score, m. 1-4 ............................................................................................. 19 2.4 Oboe and solo trumpet, m. 5 ..................................................................... 20 2.5 Solo Trumpet, m. 7-9 ................................................................................ 21 2.6 Clarinets1,2,3, m. 21 ................................................................................. 22 2.7 Alto sax., m. 82-83 .................................................................................... 27 2.8 Oboe, m. 107-110 ...................................................................................... 28 2.9 Solo Trumpet, m. 197-217 ........................................................................ 32 2.10 Solo Trumpet, m. 197-199 ........................................................................ 32 2.11 Vibraphone m. 197-199 ............................................................................ 32 2.12 Oboe, m. 199-200 ...................................................................................... 32 2.13 Bassoon, m. 199-200 ................................................................................. 33 2.14 Solo Trumpet, m. 200-202 ........................................................................ 33 2.15 Alto sax. m. 201-202 ................................................................................. 33 2.16 Piccolo, m. 201-202 .................................................................................. 33 2.17 Solo Trumpet, m. 203-206 ........................................................................ 34 2.18 Bassoon, m. 203-205 ................................................................................. 34 2.19 Oboe, m. 203-207 ...................................................................................... 34 2.20 Score, m. 203-207 ..................................................................................... 35 2.21 m. 208-212 ................................................................................................ 36 2.22 Alto Sax., m. 224-225 .............................................................................. 38 2.23 Trumpet 1, m. 224-225.............................................................................. 38 2.24 Clarinet, m. 225 ......................................................................................... 38 2.25 Solo trumpet, m. 226-231 ......................................................................... 39 vi Texas Tech University, Orlando Ruiz, August 2020 2.26 Solo trumpet, m. 226-227 and m. 229- 230 ............................................. 39 2.27 Solo trumpet, m. 230 ................................................................................. 39 2.28 Flute/oboe/clarinet, m. 232 ....................................................................... 40 2.29 Solo trumpet m. 235-241 .......................................................................... 41 2.30 Oboe, m. 242-244 ...................................................................................... 41 2.31 Bassoon, m. 242-244 ................................................................................. 42 2.32 Solo trumpet, m. 245-247 ........................................................................
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