First Advisor
Wickham, Nathaniel
Document Type
Dissertation
Date Created
4-2020
Abstract
The modern piccolo trumpet is a relatively new instrument in that its current form was fully developed in the last 60–70 years. Due to the late development of the instrument, and several other contributing factors, there is a lack of significant piccolo trumpet repertoire extending from the end of the Classical Period through the Romantic Period. This dissertation provides trumpeters, particularly developing students, with an expansion of repertoire drawn from the Romantic Period, for study and performance on the piccolo trumpet. This project includes transcriptions and arrangements of existing Romantic repertoire that are idiomatically suitable for piccolo trumpet. The repertoire is specifically selected to include various challenges for different ability levels. This study includes a pedagogical analysis and written exercises derived from representative works from the Romantic Period, thus providing trumpeters with drills and instruction for practicing the expanding skillset necessary for performing these transcriptions. Trumpet students pursuing careers as professional classical musicians will certainly be required to become proficient on the piccolo trumpet. The expansion of the piccolo trumpet solo repertoire through transcriptions from the Romantic Period will benefit trumpeters by providing new opportunities to study, learn, and perform solo music written by exemplary composers from the 19th century. Currently, a large portion of the existing piccolo trumpet repertoire is from the Baroque Period, however, these compositions were originally written for natural trumpet, which boasts a completely different sound. The piccolo trumpet is fundamentally a very different instrument than the natural trumpet of the Baroque Period. While Baroque compositions are commonly written in the upper register of the natural trumpet, they must be treated like transcriptions when performed on piccolo trumpet, as its modern design is significantly different. The chosen repertoire for this dissertation will introduce musical styles, forms, and appropriate performance practices from an era other than the Baroque, while providing aspiring piccolo trumpet performers a greater variety of repertoire with different musical and technical challenges. The Romantic Period was chosen for this project due to the broad range of expressive gestures, significant composers, and lack of piccolo trumpet repertoire.
Extent
120 pages
Local Identifiers
McCarthy_unco_0161D_10833.pdf
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Recommended Citation
McCarthy, Benjamin Matthew, "An Expansion of Piccolo Trumpet Solo Repertoire: Transcriptions From the Romantic Period" (2020). Dissertations. 660.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/dissertations/660