Johann Ernst Altenburg Archives — International Journal of Music

Haydn, an Unknown Classic

Alejandro Gómez | June 18, 2024

This essay, the third in a trilogy on Anton Weidinger, focuses on the performance of Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto in E-flat Major with an orchestra and a keyed trumpet. This realization occurred on January 20, 2024. As the author’s technical proficiency with the keyed trumpet improved, it became clear that mastering the instrument was insufficient; coordination with the orchestra was essential for a historically informed, coherent, and viable performance. This led to an in-depth investigation into various aspects necessary for unifying criteria in articulation, dynamics, timbre, and style. This study underscores the importance of considering historical context, instrument characteristics, and performance practices of the classical period to achieve a faithful rendition of Haydn’s work. The essay explores fundamental knowledge elements required for an authentic performance, addressing unresolved questions and ambiguities surrounding the concerto. Key areas of focus include the instrument’s timbre, dynamic contrasts, appropriate use of vibrato, tempi considerations, and articulation practices, providing insights and reflections that contribute to a deeper understanding of Haydn’s masterpiece for the keyed trumpet.

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The Unnatural Trumpet: The Adoption of Vent Holes in the 1960s and ’70s

With the founding of the Cappella Coloniensis in 1954 by the Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) in Cologne, historically informed performance style was adopted by the modern orchestral scene. (Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s Concentus Musicus had preceded this group by one year.) The orchestra’s instrumentation was copied from that of the Dresden court orchestra in the late 17th century. Not only were old string instruments found and rebuilt to 17th-century standards; it was also necessary to build models of Baroque and Classical woodwind and brass instruments. Another similar ensemble which I soon joined was the Collegium Aureum. It was founded in 1962, also in Cologne, by the record label Deutsche Harmonia Mundi. In both of these groups, the natural trumpet resisted adoption.