Introduction
List of Illustrations
The Dictionary
Appendix 1: Timeline of Trumpet History
Appendix 2: Gallery of Valve Diagrams
Appendix 3: Mute Classifications
Appendix 4: Orchestra and Opera Audition Excerpts
For Further Reading
Elisa Koehler is an associate professor at Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. She was the music director and conductor of the Frederick Symphony Orchestra for seventeen years. She has performed on trumpets both old and new with groups as diverse as the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony, Handel Choir of Baltimore, Orchestra of the 17th Century, Washington Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, and Newberry’s Victorian Cornet Band. Koehler is also the author of Fanfares & Finesse: A Performer’s Guide to Trumpet History and Literature (2014) and a member of the editorial staff of the International Trumpet Guild Journal.
The latest title in Rowman & Littlefield's Dictionaries for the
Modern Musician series is aimed at students, teachers, and
performers, and all are well served by its comprehensive treatment
of the subject. A thoroughly cross-indexed dictionary of terms
forms the major part of this work, but its appendixes and
bibliography are far from minor. These include a time line of
trumpet history, a gallery of valve diagrams, and a list of
excerpts suitable for orchestra and opera auditions. The
bibliography is extensive and includes biographies and
autobiographies, historic sources, websites, and more. This very
specialized source should be added to the repertoire of academic
library collections serving music students as well as public
library collections serving amateur and professional musicians.
*Booklist*
Professional trumpeter Koehler offers loving fanfare about her
chosen instrument, with entries on its key role in military matters
(as in reveille) and various permutations (as bugle, cornet, etc.),
as well as developmental milestones, most prominent/notable players
(Louis Armstrong, et al), and more. Appendixes include
illustrations of various valve mechanisms. VERDICT A terrific read
for musicians and fans alike.
*Library Journal*
This latest volume in the publisher's ‘Dictionaries for the Modern
Musician’ series is a most welcome addition to the trumpet player's
shelf. Aimed at the contemporary performer, the dictionary
contains a wealth of historical information, covering biographies
of important performers, composers, teachers, and makers; technical
aspects of playing the trumpet (e.g., multiple tonguing); musical
issues and markings, including foreign terms; and mechanical
aspects of trumpet construction. Koehler treats her topic
broadly, covering such closely related topics as the cornet,
historical precursor instruments from centuries past, and composers
only tangentially associated with trumpet literature. The
illustrations—all original for this book—are quite useful,
particularly those in the second appendix, which illustrate the
various kinds of valve blocks that have been used over the
centuries. . . .[T]he documentation is quite good. Summing Up:
Recommended. All academic levels; general readers; professional
musicians and music teachers.
*CHOICE*
Elisa Koehler new book demonstrates her wonderful ability to convey
and explain a wide range of information, some of it rather complex,
to both informed and novice readerships. As the book is a
dictionary, each of the hundreds of entries is limited in size, but
Koehler has nevertheless managed to assemble a wide range of
trumpet-related topics including famous players, composers,
instruments, organological issues, performance practice,
compositions, as well as key concepts and historical events.
Drawing on the famous line, 'poetry is what poets write,' Elisa
Koehler has constructed her dictionary to embrace the totality of
the trumpet family as anything that the modern trumpet player
plays. Rather than restricting the topic, as some taxonomic
endeavors do, she has broadened it.
*Historic Brass Society Journal*
One strength of this volume is the introduction of historical
subjects such as performance practice, baroque versus natural
trumpets and the use of vent holes without going into unnecessary
and frequently confusing levels of detail. The inclusion of
performers and composers from the former Soviet Union, many of whom
are relatively unknown in the West, is also an asset. . . .A
Dictionary for the Modern Trumpet Player will prove useful to
undergraduate students who will encounter a host of unfamiliar
terms during their studies.
*s*
The many line drawings are very clear and accurate, nicely
augmenting the text. Cross-references in bold type add much to the
usefulness of definitions and historical accounts. The author’s
depth of knowledge and experience with historical trumpet
performance contribute to this volume. . . .The ‘Introduction’ is
short, but packs in enough information for the novice reader to
gain a good understanding of the history of the trumpet for more
than the last 200 years. Students should read the introduction
before using this dictionary to learn about certain terms. . . .I
can conclude that this dictionary is a valuable tool to have on
hand for the trumpet student or anyone else with interest.
*American Musical Instrument Society*
This dictionary is an excellent blend of first-rate scholarship and
readability. The history of the trumpet extends back centuries, and
trumpet-like instruments are found in almost every culture and made
from almost any material. Many of these instruments (e.g., the
shofar, the abe.n) are given some notice, often with a very useful
line drawing. Indeed, the text is liberally sprinkled with more
than sixty line drawings (rather than photographs, which perhaps
would have increased the cost) and music examples that helpfully
illustrate terms or instruments discussed in the text, all rendered
especially for this book…. Koehler’s text is a good indicator of
the breadth of knowledge required to be a successful musician
today…. Koehler’s Dictionary is a very welcome addition to the
bookshelves of all trumpet players.
*Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association*
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