THE HISTORY AND ACOUSTICS OF THE ORCHESTRAL
F TRUMPET OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
Dr. Richard Birkemeier, Professor Emeritus
Bob Cole Conservatory of Music, California State University, Long Beach
The F trumpet of the nineteenth century has been called the last “real trumpet.”[1] If this rather audacious statement is true, then what do we call the instrument we all play today? And for that matter, what IS an F trumpet anyway? This series of essays tells the story of this long-forgotten instrument and seeks to answer these, and many other questions about the orchestral trumpets of the Romantic era. Enjoy!
I originally wrote this study as my doctoral dissertation at Northwestern University in 1984 and as some of you older folk may remember, the historical section was published in 1985, in the February and May issues of the Journal of the International Trumpet Guild. Recently, I have been contacted by several graduate student trumpeters from around the United States who have expressed a renewed interest in the F trumpet, so now that I have retired I decided to revise and update the dissertation and make it available on the internet. I have added new research by such eminent musicologists as Edward Tarr, Sabine Klaus and Robb Stewart that was not available in 1984. And as you’ve already discovered, Robb has graciously offered to host this study as a series of essays on his Robb Stewart Brass Instruments website.
I have also added a bonus feature, my 1989 Brass Bulletin article, “The F Trumpet and it’s Last Virtuoso, Walter Morrow,” which has been out of print for decades. Spoiler alert, it was this same Walter Morrow who called the F trumpet the last “real trumpet,” and he would know, he was its last major performer and most avid champion. I hope you find this all of interest and will continue reading, and if you have questions or wish to contact me directly, please do so. My email address is: richard.birkemeier@csulb.edu I look forward to hearing from you.
[1] Walter Morrow, Julius Kosleck’s School for the Trumpet: revised and adapted to the study of the Trumpet-a-Pistons in F by Walter Morrow, (London: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1907), p. IV.
Figure 1. The author working at Franz Streitwieser’s Trumpet Museum in Pottstown, PA in 1983.
INTRODUCTION
F trumpets of the nineteenth century are largely unknown to modern performers, yet these instruments were in general use in Europe during the Romantic era and every major composer called for them in their music. But the parallel development of the cornet-a-piston and high-pitched B-flat and C trumpets caused a decline in their use and their eventual extinction early in the twentieth century. The following series of essays summarizes the history of the F trumpet and describes it’s use as an orchestral instrument, makes acoustical comparisons between museum specimens of F trumpets and modern high-pitched trumpets, and offers suggestions to modern performers who wish to more accurately recreate authentic Romantic era performance practices on the trumpet. To access these essays, simply click on the links in the Outline of Contents that follow below.
The first four essays are an historical survey of the development of the trumpet and cornet from the late eighteenth century through the early twentieth century in Europe. Emphasis is placed on the orchestral uses of these instruments and includes frequent references to the trumpet music of important composers of the period. Opinions of many writers from the period are also offered along with explanations for the various historical trends that are outlined.
The fifth essay is an acoustical examination of a set of historical F trumpets from the collections of Franz Streitwieser and Martin Lessen. Not published with the original ITG Journal article, this essay compares these nineteenth century F trumpets to modern B-flat and C trumpets using input impedance and frequency spectrum analysis. The acoustical tests described reveal significant differences in response and tone quality between these two groups of instruments.
Figure 2. Franz X. Streitwieser playing a nineteenth century bugle from his collection,
c. 1983.
The sixth and final essay summarizes the results of this study and offers suggestions concerning the authentic modern performance of nineteenth century orchestral trumpet music. Several questions often asked by modern trumpeters when playing the orchestral literature from this period are addressed:
1) Why are there constant transposition changes required by Wagner, Mahler and Strauss?
2) Should modern cornets be played on parts originally intended for the cornet-a-piston?
3) What are the implications of playing F trumpet parts on modern B-flat and C trumpets?
4) Should actual F trumpets be used today to perform the music from this era and if so, where can they be located?
These essays make the case that the nineteenth century F trumpet was indeed, the last real trumpet employed in the orchestra, and that the authentic performance of most orchestral music from the nineteenth century should be performed on this instrument or one with similar tonal characteristics.
Outline of Contents
Essay 1 - THE HISTORY OF THE ORCHESTRAL F TRUMPET OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
Chapter 1. THE LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY (1760-1799)
Improvements in Trumpet Design
The Orchestral Use of Trumpets
Chapter 2. EARLY NINETEENTH CENTURY (1800-1839)
Innovations in Trumpet Design
The Invention of Valves
The Cornet-A-Piston
The Orchestral Use of Trumpets
Essay 2 - THE HISTORY OF THE ORCHESTRAL F TRUMPET OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
Chapter 1. MIDDLE NINETEENTH CENTURY (1840-1870)
The Rotary Valve
Valved Trumpets in Germany and Austria
Orchestral Trumpets and Cornets in France and England
Essay 3 - THE HISTORY OF THE ORCHESTRAL F TRUMPET OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
Chapter 1. LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY (1871-1900)
Natural vs. Valved Trumpet Debate
High-pitched Trumpets in Germany and Austria
Design Features of German and Austrian Trumpets
The Use of Trumpets in Orchestras in Germany and Austria
The Orchestral Trumpet in England
The Bach Trumpet
The Orchestral Trumpet in Russia
The Orchestral Trumpet in France
Chapter 2. THE EARLY TWENTIETH CENTURY
The High-Pitched Trumpet in B-Flat and A
Mahler’s Trumpet Parts
Debussy’s and Ravel’s Trumpet Parts
The Orchestral Trumpet in England
Essay 4 – THE F TRUMPET AND IT’S LAST VIRTUOUSO, WALTER MORROW
The Early Years
Walter Morrow and Julius Kosleck
Walter Morrow and George Bernard Shaw
Adopting the F Trumpet
The Cornet and the Trumpet as Solo Instruments
Walter Morrow and Ernest Hall and the End of the F Trumpet
The Final Years
Essay 5 - A COMPARATIVE ACOUSTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE RESPONSE AND TONE QUALITIES OF NINETEENTH CENTURY F TRUMPETS
Chapter 1. INPUT IMPEDANCE TEST
Test Procedure
Results of Tests
Performance Testing
Chapter 2. FREQUENCY SPECTRUM ANALYSIS TEXT
Benade’s “Room-Average” Test Procedure
Results of the “Room-Average” Test Procedure
Conclusions
Essay 6 - THE F TRUMPET AS A MODERN ORCHESTRAL INSTRUMENT?
Answers to Introduction Questions
Modern Alternatives to the Old F Trumpet
Some final Thoughts
Bibliography
Dedication
To the memory of Edward H. Tarr (1936-2020), the father of all trumpet historians, without who’s inspiration and extraordinary research, this study would not have happened.
