Title
Concerto for Trumpet, no. 1 (2003)
For trumpet and orchestra, or wind ensemble, or piano reduction
By James Stephenson
Biographical Info
The Concerto for Trumpet, James Stephenson’s second major work written for the trumpet, is a product of a long-time friendship between Jeffrey Work, for whom the concerto is written, and the composer. As a trumpeter himself, Stephenson had spent many years admiring the abilities of Work, first as a fellow student at Interlochen’s summer music festival (the two sat next to each other as high school students in the camp’s orchestra), and later at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. After Work’s performance of Stephenson’s Sonata for Trumpet and Piano, the idea of a piece composed especially for the soloist began to germinate, but lacked a host to commission and perform a new piece. The Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, of which Work is a member, provided the final piece of the puzzle, and the Concerto for Trumpet was born.
The two movement piece opens almost ominously, and in no definitive key, with a solo bassoon stating a two note figure, F-D. (Those looking for a composed reference to the soloist to the soloist may find it here, though it requires a stretch: F-D, if changed somewhat using solfege syllables, could be pronounced F-Re, almost sounding like “Jeffrey”.) This F-D figure is repeated and developed throughout the entire piece, though probably more evident to the score-studying student than to the first-time listener. In this opening Adagio, the soloist enters plaintively on top of an established ostinato, almost searching for a home key. The soloist ends this opening trying to rise up triumphantly in the key of E-flat, only to get dissolved into a vague state once again, as the music is then transported into the scherzo-esque main body of the first movement. Again the solo trumpet tries to establish the main key of E-flat only to land on the non-diatonic raised 4th degree, or A natural. The orchestra and soloist trade capricious phrases, finally culminating in a grand re-statement of the main theme, this time in B-flat, or what would seem to be the dominant of E-flat. The music again takes a quick turn, and the orchestra lands on a pedal F-sharp, whereupon the soloist begins winding through various forms of music already heard. This Cadenza-like material returns us back to E-flat, but only briefly, as we are quickly transported to a frenzied jazz-like section, forecasting music to be heard in the second movement.. A grandiose section follows, incorporating the F-D motif one more time, and the movement ends almost as mysteriously as it started, but decidedly in A Major. This resolution in A Major, though perhaps a surprise, explains the use of the raised 4th degree explored extensively while in E-flat major.
The second movement is written to display what almost every audience member is seeking when first hearing a concerto: technical virtuosity. Knowing the technical and musical abilities of Mr. Work, as well as his love for the cornet solos of the early 20th century, the movement is composed to highlight what is available to the modern trumpet, though often not exposed. After a few minutes of pure energy, the music finally relaxes, drawing upon various motifs already heard. Again the piece builds up to a climax in the dominant key of E Major, only to settle again to a false coda. A demanding cadenza follows, highlighting some musical effects written especially for the dedicatee. Now beginning the true coda, the virtuosic music returns, and many motifs are again tossed into the mix to bring us to our denouement, again decidedly in our true home key of A Major.
Suggested Equipment
This concerto is written for C trumpet.
There are no mutes called for.
Practice/Performance Tips
The following excerpts are taken from a recital I played at the International Trumpet Conference in 2012.
The first movement is about 13 minutes long and features a very interesting and fun to play cadenza section. This particular section is rather long (for a cadenza) and contains musical dialog between the soloist and orchestra (piano). I suppose this might be more appropriately called a recitative… Whatever it is, it’s great music and rewarding for the player and listener. The ending of the movement is devilishly difficult. If played well, it doesn’t sound hard at all! If Jim wasn’t a trumpet player himself, I’d say “typical pianist composer!…”
Movement 1
Like Jim writes in the Biographical Info, the 2nd movement is a real showpiece for technique. I have to apologize to you the listener, and Jim, for in this excerpt during the one down-time, lyrical section, I played it too fast. I wanted to include it in the excerpt though to show that the movement isn’t all fireworks. Still, it should be played more slowly than in this excerpt. The movement also features a dazzling cadenza. At the end of the cadenza, there are some octave lips slurs. That is one of two musical options that Jim gives the player at that moment of the cadenza.
Movement 2
Suggested Recordings
As of this post, I know of no commercial recordings of this piece. I am currently planning on recording this concerto with the piano reduction, along with the trumpet concertos of Anthony Plog and Lauren Bernofsky, in early 2015.