Michael Daniel

IUP Trumpet Ensamble (Fine Arts Critique #5)

11/27/2006

On November 20 the IUP College of Fine Arts Department of Music presented the

IUP Trumpet Ensamble. It was directed by Dr. Kevin Eisensmith and the musicians were

IUP students. It seemed to be a showcase for the students to display what they’ve been

working on all semester. The musicians were different for every song

The recital opened with the song ‘A Festival of Trumpets’, which was played by 8

trumpets. It seemed to be intended to be light, airy and staccato. I think I recognized it

from a James Bond movie. It is difficult to say anything about the piece because the

musicians were off time and off key. It wasn’t the worst song played that night but I still

could not make out any real subtleties of the music in the way that I would expect to do at

a professional orchestra.

The recital stumbled thru a few more songs in an off time, off key manner. ‘The

Last Spring’ had a sad tone about it. ‘Octet For Trumpets’ was performed with 10

trumpets, which confused me. I thought that the word ‘octet’ implied 8 trumpets. ‘Octet’

ran faster and slower, building in intensity to fanfare styled peaks and melancholy

valleys. ‘Shenandoah’ was performed with 9 trumpets. I think that I heard it before in

the movie ‘Far and Away’. It was slow and soft but loud at the same time in a manner

that seems to be unique to the trumpet as an instrument.

The evening hit a low point with ‘Resonances – Declamitorily’. It was performed

with 4 trumpets. It was a cacophony without rhythm or melody. There were a few soft

notes played then a blast then a pause then a blast then a few notes played softly then
pause then blast. This continued for what seemed to be forever. It was like nails on a

chalkboard.

‘Congratulamini Mihi’ was considerably better than ‘Resonances’. It was

performed with 4 trumpets. They were in tune and on time for once. The skill level of

the performers increased for the rest of the night after this point. The tones and tempo

were high and refined but the song never built to what I would call a fanfare blast. It had

a medieval feel to it but it was more complex than any medieval music I have heard

before. It had that soft tone yet loud volume texture that I really enjoy about the trumpet.

‘Truncated Sonata’ was a wonderful broadway style jazz tune. The trumpets

spoke to each other. It sounded like a friendly conversation between friends that picks up

and slows down at times. The conversation was interrupted by melody every now and

then. The music became steadily better thru ‘Toccata’, ‘Caprice’, ‘Introduction and

Fanfare’, ‘Sinfonia’ and ‘Lyric Poeme’.

The evening hit a high point near the end with the ‘Heroic Suite’. It was

performed with 5 trumpets and it went thru 3 phases, which were generosity, mercy and

majesty. It was full of classic fanfare blasts and elegant melody. The musicians were

perfectly on time and in tune. The richness of the music came thru. Generosity was slow

and elegant. Mercy was slower but had a more rich texture. Small, soft staccato notes

sounded like horses in the background. Majesty was classic triumphant fanfare. It was

loud, elegant and bold. This song made the night worth the trip.

They ended on ‘Romeo and Juilet Fantasy’, which was played on 24 trumpets.

The musicians were off time and out of tune again but it was worse this time because it

was deafeningly loud. It was too ambitious for these musicians to attempt.