Kennethmillsbrasspedagogy Prof. Whitener12/23/05

KennethMillsBrassPedagogy Prof. Whitener12/23/05

TheChicagoSchoolofTrumpetPlaying:HowitsPreceptsmaybeAppliedtootherBrass Instruments

Beginningintheearlytomiddle1950'sandthroughthel980'sandearly1990's,theChicagoSymphonyOrchestra'sBrassSectioncapturedtheimaginationofthebrassworld,exertinganhegemonicinfluenceonBrasspedagogicalthought,aswellasperformancestyle.ThiswasaccomplishedprimarilythroughtheplayingofAdolphHerseth,aswell asthroughthepedagogicaleffortsofVincentCichowiczandespeciallyArnoldJacobs.Cichowicz,joiningtheorchestrawhilestillinhisformativeyears,completedanapprenticeshipwiththeChicagoCivicOrchestra,andeventuallybecameaferventdiscipleofboththeolderHersethandthestillolderJacobs.MasonGrossSchooloftheArtsisfortunatetohaveanin-housefacultymemberwho wasamongthefirstgenerationofstudentsofthisfineAcademyof BrassPlaying:thereference,ofcourse,istoProfessorWilliamFielder.

Fielder'sauthorityonthesemattersstemsnotonlyfrombeingamongthefirststudents.Hiscredibilityisbolsteredbyauniqueandferociousdetermination.Itisthisdeterminationthatpropelledhimfromagreen,ifexceptionallytalented,1sttrumpetplayeroftheChicagoCivic·Orchestrain 1957,tohispresentstatusasanauthorityfigure,capableofconversingandconsultingonmattersoftrumpetpedagogywithHerseth andCichowicz,theultimateauthorities,

notasapupil,butasacolleague.Thisprivilegewasearnedthroughlongyearsofstudy.

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Finally abletoendurethesternscrutinyofHersethandCichowicz,itwasrecommendedbyCichowiczthatFielderbetheonetowritethedefinitivetreatiseonthesematters.Asamatteroffact,itisthepresentauthor'scontentionthathadeventstranspireddifferently,itislikelythatFielderwouldhavebecomeamemberoftheCSO,asevidencedbyMr.Herseth'slong toutedremark:“...wehaveplansforyou,Fielder...“,perhapsevenfillingthevacuumleftbytheretiringHersethasPrincipalTrumpet.

Ofcourse,thisisallconjectureontheauthor'spart.Whatisnotbasedonconjecture,however,is Fielder'sexplicationof whatis meantbytheChicagoSchoolofTrumpetPlaying.Itisthisauthor'sintentiontopresentwhathasbeenimbibedthroughfiveyearsofstudywithProfessorFielder.Needlesstosay, responsibilitymayonlybeassumedformistakesinconceptthatcloudthepresentwork.AnycreditfortheseideasmustultimatelybeattributedtoFielder,andaboveall,tohisteachers,Cichowicz,HersethandJacobs.

TheWind

AnydiscussionoftheChicagoSchoolofBrassPlayingmustbeginwiththeconceptof"WIND".AsFielderhasoftensaid,thetrumpetisabrassWINDinstrument.Thewindistheelementthatinitiatesthesound.WithoutWind,theTrumpetisassilentasatelevisionsetwithoutelectricity. Incidentally,theword"Wind'andnotthemorecommon"'Air"ispurposelychosen.Thisisnotonlyamatterofsemantics.Inessence,thesewordsconjureverydifferentaspectsofasimilarphenomenon.Forexample,Aircanbestatic;Wind,byitsverynature,isalwaysinmotion.Aircanbecompressed;Windisalwaysfree.

FewBrassauthoritieswoulddisagreewiththeforegoingcommentary.Aswemoveinto

Therealmofexecution,ortoquoteProfessorFielder,"pragmaticapplication",controversyisinevitable,however.Ifweacceptthatthewindrepresentsanidealimageormodelofhowto

blowintoaBrass-Windinstrument,thequestionimmediatelyarises,"Howdoesoneblowlike the wind?'

Onesimpleexplanationusestheimageofapantingdog.First,tomakethisclear,wemustspecifythetypeofdogbeingreferredto.Ofnecessity,thedogmustbeofalargebreed,thekindthatwouldpantrelativelyslowly.Ifoneobservesthedog’smid-section,itisobviouslyrelaxedorloose,evincingacharacteristicamountofmovement.Itisnotfirm,orrather, it does not exhibitisometricflexionorcontraction.Thissoftness,or 'looseness"touseMr.Cichowicz'preferredterminology,isanalogoustothefreedomoftheWind,thusaccountingforoneofthemajordefiningcharacteristicsofwind.Thesecondcharacteristiccanalsobeaccountedforbyreferringtothisanalogy.Ifoneweretogetcloseenoughtothisfriendlydogtofeelhisbreath,itobviouslymoveswithacertainamountofthrust,orwhatFieldercallsa'"snap".Thissnapcomprisestheenergeticmovementnecessarytocoaxasoundoutofabrassinstrumentand is thusanalogoustotheseconddefinitivecharacteristicofthewind:inexorable,positivemovement.

Ofcourse,thisanalogyisnotperfect;tomakeitso,wemustfurtheruseourimagination.

Ifweweretofilmthedog,slowdownthefilmandedititsothattheimageonlylasts for one

cycleofbreath,weareabletowitnesstheperfectmotionofbreath,withitsinherentpneumaticquality.Addanappropriatewayoffeedingthewindintotheinstrumentandwehaveagoodexampleofblowing.

Tofurtheravoidanymisunderstanding,wewillbrieflydiscusswhathappenswhena

Brassplayertakesabreathandthenexpelsitintotheinstrument.Thetwo"significantfactors"thatcomprisethebreathare,obviously,inhalationandexhalation.Pedagogicallywereferto

Thesefactorsasinflationanddeflation,therebyusingwordsthataremoredescriptiveoftheactionthatshould,inactuality, occur.Inflationisasuckingphenomenon,deflationisablowing

Phenomenon.Inordertofillthebottomofthelungswithair,thediaphragmcoilsdownwards(its

flexedstate),andthemid-sectionexpands.Asthelungsfillwithair,thethorax,orribcage,expandsandweeventuallygetthetypeofchestexpansionthatmaybewitnessedifonebreathesthroughthenostrils.This,however,isonlyapedagogicaltoolfordemonstration,sinceitiswellknownthatgoodpedagogyinsistsonbreathingthroughthecornersof themouth.

Deflationoccurswhenthediaphragmreturnstoitsoriginalposition.Thisisaidedbytheinvoluntaryintercostalmuscles.Itisimportantnottoengagethevoluntaryabdominalmusclesin theprocess.Ifthisoccurs,theairceasestobewindandthereforebecomescompressedairbydefault.Thenecessaryairpressuremustbeachievedthroughairflowandnotthrough compression.Ofcourse,thisisextremelydifficult,ifnotimpossible,toachieveliterally:itisanideal.Thecloseroneistoachievingairflowwithoutcompression,themorebeautifulthe'"basic

trumpetsound".

TheBasicTrumpetSoundasDerivedfromtheSoundofWind

Theanalogyofwindis,aboveall,anauralone.Manymisunderstandingsbystudentscanbetracedtothissimplepoint.Althoughitcanbehelpfultoimagineblowingwindasa'feel",ortoimitateitsmotionbyobservingamentalpictureofwindblowingthroughtrees,forexample,thewind,asdescribedbytheChicagoSchoolofTrumpetPlaying,isaboveallasound.When windisblownthroughtheapertureoftheembouchure,itmustsoundthusly.Whenonecanduplicatethissoundwhileproducingapitchontheinstrument,theresultantsoundiswhatFielder

andothersrefertoas abasictrumpetsound.Bytheway,thisauralimageofthewindcanbereadilyconvertedintoamoremusicalone,asthestudentseestheconnectionbetweenthesoundofwindandamusicaltrumpetsound.Theidealmightbedescribedasthewindhavinga musical intelligenceorpersonality.Thebasictrumpetsoundisnotto beconfusedwiththemusical personalityofanygiventrumpeter,however.Itissimplytherawmaterialwhichwillthenbemoldedbyaplayer'spersonality.Inotherwords,thisisthesimilaritythatonehearsbetween HersethandCichowicz,orHersethandFielder,forexample,eventhoughtheyareverydifferentmorphologically,andotherwise.

Anothersourceofmisconceptionisthetendencyofmanystudentstothinkintermsofa"dark"soundora'bright"sound.Thebasictrumpetsoundideaindicatesthatthesoundisbothbrightanddarkatonce;theabilitytoplayhighandlow,loudorsoft, withoutdistortion.

Finally,thisistheraw“how-to"oftrumpetplaying.Accordingtothiswayofthinking,allgoodsoundshavecertainthingsincommon,regardlessofwhateverdifferencesmightbemoreobviousaesthetically.OnemightcomparethisphenomenontoasimilarideainmodemPsychology,thatholdsthatsomeaspectsofnature,orbettersaid,somenaturalobjects,areuniversallyconsideredbeautiful.Themorecommonpost-modernphilosophicalideaofrelativism dictatesthatbeautyis onlyintheeyeofthebeholder.Whythendopeopletendtofindotherswithmoresymmetricalbodiesorfacesmoreattractive?Whydowetendtoperceivesymmetryin natureasbeautiful,anddis-symmetrylessso?

Tobringthisdiscussionbacktothetrumpet,clarityandanuninhibitedflowofsoundareprizedbyall.Thisisnottosaythattheyrepresent everythingthatwearestrivingfor-theyaresimplythefinemarblethatcanbemoldedintoafinesculpture;thestonethatyieldsMichelangelo'sDavid,forexample.

Embouchure

ThemostcontroversialtopicinBrassPedagogyistheembouchure.Accordingtothe

ChicagoSchool,theshapeoftheembouchureisaproductofthethrustofwind.Unlikethemorecommon''M"orbuzzingembouchure,thewindembouchurefollowsthewind,muchlikeacurtainbeingactivatedbywindenteringthroughanopenwindow;thelipsarepropelledforward.Thisisnottoimplythattheyextendexcessivelyintoapucker(althoughthereisacommontendencytowardsthisatthebeginning).Againtheextentthattheembouchureextendsforwardis

determinedbythethrustofwind,ormorecorrectly,thesoundofwind.Allowthelipstocollapseandyoumufflethesoundbybuzzing;withanartificialpucker,onedoesthesamethingintheoppositedirection,producinganequallydistortedsound.

Itiswidelyknownthatthesyllableusedtoenunciateanentranceonabrassinstrumenthasmuchtodowiththeshapeoftheembouchure.AsArbaniscreditedwithfirstdescribing,the'tu'syllableisthemosteffectiveinproducinganappropriatemuscularcontractionofthelipsand

face.UnlikeArban,however,theEnglishpronunciationof"tu"ispreferredbytheChicagoSchool,asbeingmoreunequivocallyforward.TheFrenchpronunciationismorelikelytoproduce a"buzz",sinceitfeaturesthe"EE"soundasacomponentof"tu",thusallowingthecornersofthelipsbackwards.TheChicagobeliefisthateverythingmovesforwardinconjunctionwiththe

wind:thisincludestheembouchure,thetongue,thesound,etcetera.

Articulation

Articulationisanothercontroversialsubjectamongtoday'sexperts.Ingeneral,as

mentionedpreviously,theChicagoSchoolprefersa"T"syllable,evenwhenplayinglegato.Thisisnotmeanttoimplyroughnessoranexplosivequality.Whenproperlyexecuted,the"T”can producealovelylegatowithoutresortingtothe"'gooey",dullqualityofthe"'D'syllable.ThisbringstomindthefifthofMr.Cichowicz'principlesofgoodtrumpetplaying,namely:"THEULTIMATEGOALOFTRUMPETPLAYING:THEATTAINMENTOFSHARPNESSAND

CLARITYWITHOUTSTIFFNESS.

Anotherpointofcontentioninvolvestheproperexecutionofshortnotes.Whileitismoreandmorecommontohearexpertsadvocatingstoppingthesoundwiththetongue,asinusingthesyllables'"tit"or“tat”,toachievethestaccato,oneoftheprinciplepreceptsoftheChicago

Schoolisthatshortnessisanillusion.Chicagotrumpetplayersachieveshortness,notbystoppingthewindattheendofthenote,butbystartingthenotewithanextremelysharp“T"syllable.

Muchas atimpanistusinghardsticksmakesasuccessionof notessoundshorttotheaudience,

Brassplayersachieveasimilarqualitybyenunciatingasharp“T”syllable.

OtherInstruments

ThemainobjectionthatLowBrassplayershavetotheforegoingexplanationisthe syllable“tu".Thisneednotbeanobstacle.Ifonecansuccessfullyusea"toe"syllablewhile generatingaflowofwind,thereisnoharmdonetothebasicconcept.Amuchmoresevereproblemwouldbetheuseof"toe''asanexcusetocollapsetheembouchureinwardsintoa

buzzing,or mufflingembouchure,thusprecludingtheabilitytoexecuteaclearentrance.Oneoftenhears"W”attacks.ThisisanathematotheChicagoSchool.OneoftheprincipalcharacteristicsthatdistinguishestheChicagoSoundfromothers,isaclearattack,followed,orcontinuedby,"thickair":arichresonantsound.ThosewhotrytoattainthehighdynamiclevelsoftheCSOBrassSectionfail,eitherbecausetheyareusinga"'W"attack,therebyaddinganunpleasant,overlyheavyqualitytothesound,oriftheyhaveasharpattack,continuingwitharaucous,"'thinair"sound.Similarshortcomingsareevidentatthesoftdynamiclevels.The

“·overlyheavy"peopleoftencannotplaybelowamezzo-forte,theothershavetroubleplayingabove.ThoseabletoplaysoftlysacrificetherichnessassociatedwiththeChicagoPianissimo.Thereisa tendencytowardsinhibitionandpuniness. Alsocharacteristicoftheformeristheamountof"lip"orobstructionthatoneperceivesinthesound.Theillusioncreatedbythe

ChicagoSoundisthatofanabsenceofliporobstruction.Onehearsresonancepropelledbywind,

not"lip".Thesoundmaythereforebedescribedas '"acirclewithacoreofwind'.

ThemainobstacleforapplyingtheseconceptstotheFrenchHornisthesizeofthemouthpiece.Playersmayfeelthattheyneedtoplaywithaflat,'4curled-in"embouchureinordertoaccommodatethesmalldiametermouthpiece.Thisisnotaproblem,however,sinceitispossibletomakeaFrenchHornmouthpiecetofiteventhelargestlips.Alsowithpractice,oneshouldhavelittleproblemsdealingwithanysizedmouthpiece,asProfessorFielderisfondofdemonstrating.ThissystemofplayingcanevenaccommodatethecontroversialeinsetzenembouchureadvocatedbysomepedagoguesoftheFrenchHorn;ofcourse,takingpainsnottoallowtheembouchuretodegenerateintoa"buzz".

Conclusion

ThereforethepreceptsoftheChicagoSchoolofTrumpetPlayingcanbereadilyappliedtootherBrassinstruments,ifnottoallwindinstruments,asMr.Jacobsfamouslydemonstrated.

Hopefullytheseprincipleswillbemasteredbyanewgenerationofperformers,abletotakeup

wheretheCSOleftoff.Asgreatastheseachievementshavebeen,isitnotdemoralizing tocontemplatethattheyrepresentthezenithoftechnicalBrassPlaying.Withallduerespect,there mustbemore!Iherebyexhortmycolleagues,ifalso myself,tolearntheselessonswell;continuethuslyuntilthebrassfamilycanboastinstrumentaliststhataretheequalofanyother.