Unlocking Music: Brass, Composers, and Fundamental Concepts

Brass Instruments: Facts and History

The Trumpet

How is the Trumpet Used?

The trumpet has been used by many composers, especially in jazz and in general in the twentieth century.

Name a Trumpet Composition

One notable composition is Pictures at an Exhibition by Modest Mussorgsky.

Instrumentation for Pictures at an Exhibition

While originally for piano, the famous orchestration of Pictures at an Exhibition includes prominent parts for brass instruments such as the trumpet, tuba, and trombone.

What Country was Modest Mussorgsky From?

Modest Mussorgsky was from Russia.

The Tuba

What is the Length of a Tuba's Tubing?

The tuba typically has approximately 4.35 meters (14.3 feet) of tubing.

Name a Horn Concerto

A well-known example is Mozart's Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat major, K. 447.

Which is the Lowest Brass Instrument?

The tuba is the lowest-pitched brass instrument.

Who Built the First Tuba?

The first tuba was built by Adolf Sax.

Name a Tuba Composition

One composition featuring the tuba is Fray Santiago.

The Trombone

What was the Trombone Called in the 18th Century?

In the 18th century, the trombone was often referred to as the "sackbut."

How Does the Trombone Slide Work?

The trombone slide allows the player to change the length of the air column, enabling access to seven different positions, each corresponding to a different set of pitches.

What Corresponds to Each Trombone Slide Position?

Each of the seven slide positions corresponds to a different set of partials or harmonics, allowing the player to achieve a full chromatic range.

Composers and Their Masterpieces

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

What is a Requiem?

A Requiem is a musical work composed in honor of a deceased person, often referring specifically to the music of a Requiem Mass.

When Did Mozart Compose His Requiem?

Mozart composed his Requiem Mass in D minor, K. 626, shortly before his death in 1791, leaving it unfinished.

Bedřich Smetana

What Country was Bedřich Smetana From?

Bedřich Smetana was from the Czech Republic.

What Other Instruments Did Smetana Play?

Besides composing, Smetana was also a skilled violinist and pianist.

What is Smetana's Most Important Work?

His most important work is often considered to be the cycle of six symphonic poems, Má Vlast (My Homeland), particularly The Moldau.

Musical Forms and Concepts

Symphonic Poem

What is a Symphonic Poem?

A symphonic poem is a piece of orchestral music, usually in a single continuous movement, that illustrates or evokes the content of a poem, story, landscape, or other non-musical source. It is a form of descriptive music.

What Does The Moldau Describe?

Bedřich Smetana's symphonic poem The Moldau (Vltava) vividly describes the journey of the Vltava River, from its source, through the Czech countryside and Prague, to its confluence with the Elbe River.

The Pavan Dance

What is a Pavan?

A Pavan is a slow, stately courtly dance that was popular in the 16th century.

When and Where was the Pavan Danced?

The Pavan was widely danced in the 16th century. Some scholars believe its name derives from the Italian city of Padua.

How was the Pavan Danced?

It was characterized by its slow tempo and stately, dignified movements.

Musical Theory Fundamentals

What are Musical Alterations?

Musical alterations are signs that modify the pitch of a note. They can be divided into two main classes:

• Key Signatures (Permanent Alterations): These are placed at the beginning of the staff, after the clef, and affect all notes of that pitch throughout the piece or section.
• Accidentals (Temporary Alterations): These are placed directly in front of a note and affect only that specific note and any subsequent notes of the same pitch within the same measure (or 'bar').

What is a Musical Canon?

A musical canon is an imitative compositional technique where a melody is played by one part and then imitated (repeated) by one or more other parts, often at different times or pitches. This creates a texture where multiple voices perform essentially the same melody, but entering successively.