Secondary

10 PIECES PLUS!

TRUMPET
CONCERTO IN
E flat
rd
3 MOVEMENT
by
HAYDN

TEACHER PAGES
 TRUMPET CONCERTO IN E flat, 3rd MOVEMENT
BY JOSEPH HAYDN
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p034pp7f

CONTEXT

Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto was composed in 1796 to celebrate and showcase the capabilities of a
newly-invented instrumental technology i.e. the keyed trumpet. For the first time in its history the
trumpet was able to perform a complete chromatic scale across all registers, enabling it to play
melodies rather than fanfares in the mid and lower registers: previously melodies could only be
played in the high register. Haydn’s concerto was composed for his friend and virtuoso trumpet
player, Anton Weidlinger, who had been closely involved in this technological development.

MUSICAL INGREDIENTS

Timbre: Full classical orchestra (no concerns about overpowering the solo trumpet)

Structure: Rondo form: A B A C A

Alternation of tutti and solo passages

Pitch/melody: Major tonality

Scalic solo trumpet melodies in all registers (including the the lower and mid registers
for the first time)
Occasional chromaticism
Fanfare like melodic passages

Texture: Light, clear texture

Mainly homophonic (melody above chords)

LEARNING ACTIVITIES SUMMARY

Composing challenge 1 Show stopper!

Composing challenge 2: Creative approach: composing a showpiece for a new technology
Active listening challenge: Card sort
Performing challenge: Ensemble performance piece: simplified 3rd movement rondo theme

and optional episode

KEY LEARNING FROM THIS UNIT

Knowledge of musical dimensions: structure, rondo form

Skills development: composing - creating coherent melodies that exploit different
scalic characteristics

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RELATED LISTENING EXAMPLES

Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (performed on the natural trumpet):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNiKx8yHp1w
Mozart: Clarinet Concerto 3rd Movement (example of a concerto composed for a newly invented
instrument)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecvEBZqOKeA
Copland: Quiet City (the trumpet used to portray an urban landscape)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMiS7VWzsDo
Louis Armstrong: Oh, when the Saints
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyLjbMBpGDA

KS3 MUSIC CURRICULUM LINKS

 The concerto
 Music composed to celebrate advances in instrumental technological
 The classical style
 The tradition of virtuosic music

SUGGESTED LINKS WITH OTHER SUBJECTS

Design and Technology: Developing instrumental technologies

Art: Classicism
History: Patronage and the arts
Science: Sound – the harmonic series

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LEARNING ACTIVITIES – TEACHER NOTES

COMPOSING CHALLENGE 1: SHOW STOPPER!

Pupil resource found in the pack
 An imaginary letter to Joseph Haydn
 Composing Challenge Commission

Task
 Pupils compose a show stopping piece for the newly-invented keyed trumpet using the guidelines
set out in the Composing Challenge Commission.

Suggested approach
Consider setting the composing challenge before listening to Haydn’s concerto – providing other
examples of Baroque/classical orchestral trumpet music.
 Read and discuss the imaginary letter from Anton Weidinger to Joseph Haydn explaining:
o how natural trumpets were limited to the notes of the harmonic series.
o how intervals between notes of the harmonic series become smaller as the pitch gets
higher.
o the implications for composers and performers? e.g. If composers wanted scalic melodies,
they had to be played in the high register, otherwise they were limited to fanfare-like
passages.
 Using the Composing Challenge Commission worksheet, model how the different aspects might be
developed into a piece.
 Compose individually or in pairs.

COMPOSING CHALLENGE 2: ALTERNATIVE CREATIVE APPROACH

Pupil resources: N/A

Task To compose a piece that showcases the new technological capabilities of Thumbjam or other
similar new technology.

Suggested approach
This task requires a class set of iPads, each with the app ‘Thumbjam’ installed. Alternatively, the task
could be completed using any other piece of new music technology installed with a set of unique
technological capabilities e.g. apps, pedals, beams, midi instruments etc.

 Watch a YouTube video introduction to the Thumbjam app (e.g. click on this example provided by
Rick Moyer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e92fWDXihqs)
 Explore together:
o How pitches are sounded and changed, the full pitch range and melodic possibilities
o The range of timbres available
o How the iPad itself can be manipulated to create particular effects
o How different modalities can be explored
o How layers of sound can be created
 Ask pupils to imagine that they work for the company that invented ‘Thumbjam’ (or another
technology) and have been asked to provide a piece of music that showcases its capabilities to
conclude a sales ‘pitch’ at a national music trade exhibition.
 3
Using the rondo structure of the Haydn trumpet concerto, compose a piece that showcases the
new technological capabilities of Thumbjam.
ACTIVE LISTENING CHALLENGE – CARD SORT
Pupil resource
 Listening challenge – Card sort

Task
 Pupils listen to the 3rd movement of Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto and sort the cards into:
o Statements with which they strongly agree
o Statements with which they strongly disagree
o Statements which they are not sure about and that need further discussion

Suggested approach
 Distribute sets of cards for one between three.
 Ask students to sort the cards into sets outlined above, while the music is playing.
 Ask for feedback from groups and, in particular, discuss any cards about which pupils are unsure.
 Use the cards as the basis of a piece of writing structured as follows:
o Background information
o What can you hear?
o Does this piece convey any specific mood/message?
o Explain your views on the piece?

PERFORMING CHALLENGE
Teacher resource
 Haydn Trumpet Concerto 3rd Movement – Teacher score (Simplified Rondo theme (A) and
(optional) episode (B))
 Midi file: Haydn – Trumpet Concerto (optional backing track)

Pupil resource
 Ensemble parts: Haydn Trumpet Concerto 3rd Movement: simplified rondo theme (A) and
(optional) episode (B)

Suggested approach
 Begin by teaching everyone part 2 and perform it together as a class.
 Allocate the other parts according to the abilities of pupils. Teach each part through a
combination of rote learning followed by individual practice.
 Rehearse and perform the piece as a classroom ensemble: Either: perform section A on its own,
or sections A & B as written.
 Perform each part using authentic keyboard voices i.e. parts 1 & 2: trumpet, part 3, violin and
part 4, cello.

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 HAYDN TRUMPET CONCERTO 3rd MOVEMENT
TEACHER SCORE

(optional)

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 SECONDARY
10 PIECES PLUS!

TRUMPET
CONCERTO IN
E flat
rd
3 MOVEMENT
by
HAYDN

PUPIL PAGES
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 COMPOSING CHALLENGE 1: SHOW STOPPER

Vienna, September 1792

My Dear Joseph,

You may have heard that a new keyed trumpet (Klappentrompete) is being developed. It is a strange looking
instrument with an even stranger sound (I have never heard an instrument that hisses and wheezes quite like it).
Miraculously it can play tones and semi-tones in the lower and middle register enabling it to play melodies rather
than those tiresome fanfares or headache-inducing high pitched melodies! I am quite convinced that it is going to
revolutionise trumpet playing and make composers reconsider how they write for the instrument in the future.

The instrument uses a new technology which I have been helping to develop, in which different combinations of five
keys are depressed for each note, in a similar way to oboes, flutes and bassoons.

I know that it is early days, and I appreciate how busy you are at Esterhazy at the moment, but I wondered if you might
find time to compose a piece (a concerto, perhaps?) for me that celebrates the new keyed trumpet and shows off its
capabilities?

If your answer is yes, then here’s a word of warning! The tone of the instrument is only secure when played the old way
with none of the keys depressed (fanfares!). When playing tunes that move in tones or semi-tones the sound of air
escaping can be quite distracting. Could you compose something that mixes some of the old fanfare style melodies with
more lyrical lower-pitched melodies that move in semitones or tones just to show what it can do? And, of course a few
headache-inducing high notes as well – just to demonstrate its range!

Yours,

Anton Weidinger

PS – Not a very helpful sketch - I think my playing is better than my drawing skills!

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 COMPOSING CHALLENGE 1: COMMISSION
Compose a piece to celebrate the invention, and showcase the capabilities of the keyed trumpet

General ingredients

 Major key (to give the music a celebratory, bright feel)

 Include some chromaticism (to demonstrate the new technology)
 Melodies in different registers (high and low)
 Fanfare-like passages or leaps within melodies (to give the piece a more traditional trumpet feel)
 Showy (perhaps not too fast in case the keys can’t manage it)

Specific ingredients

C major scale

C D E F G A B C

Harmonic series (starting note C)

C C G C E G Bb C (D E etc.)

Chromatic scale starting on C

C C# D D# E F F# G G# A A# B C

Rondo structure (with a good tune that keeps returning with some showy sections in between)

AB ACA

Some ideas to get you started

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 ACTIVE LISTENING CHALLENGE
HAYDN TRUMPET CONCERTO 3rd MOVEMENT CARD SORT

Light, clear texture Sense of proportion and

balance

Mainly homophonic Quite short melodies with

(melody above chords) clear-cut phrases

Frequent changes of dynamics Fanfares

Flutes Harpsichord

Mainly strings Trombone

Lots of different tunes played Main tune keeps returning

at the same time

Arpeggio Improvisation

For a carnival Solo

Energetic Opera

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 HAYDN TRUMPET CONCERTO 3rd MOVEMENT
Simplified Rondo theme (A) and (optional) episode (B)
Part 1

(optional)

Part 2

(optional)

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Part 3

(optional)

Part 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

(optional)

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