The booklet notes states
that Seattle-born Rolf Smedvig is one
of the world’s great trumpeters; a dazzling
virtuoso acknowledged as both a soloist
and chamber musician of international
renown. He has played as soloist with
many of the world’s premier orchestras
such as the Boston Symphony, Zurich
Tonhalle and the Chicago Symphony. While
studying at Tanglewood in 1971, he was
invited by the great Leonard Bernstein
to play solo trumpet in the world premiere
of the composer's Mass to marked the
opening of the Kennedy Center in Washington,
DC. Smedvig served the Boston Symphony
and the Tanglewood Music Center for
ten years. Appointed by Seiji Ozawa,
he became the youngest member of that
orchestra and after becoming principal
trumpet, left to pursue a career as
soloist and conductor.
This album is Smedvig’s
second for Telarc and consists of previously
released material recorded between 1989
and 1992 The first Telarc album of trumpet
concertos (CD-80232) featured the music
of Hummel, Haydn, Torelli, Tartini and
Bellini. It was extremely successful
gaining considerable critical acclaim
and was nominated for a prestigious
Grammy Award.
J.S. Bach: Brandenburg
Concerto No. 2 in F major, BWV 1047
Although they are often
discussed, recorded, and published as
a collection, the six concertos encompassing
the so-called Brandenburg Concertos
were not written all at once, nor for
the same ensemble. Scholars suspect
that nos. 1, 3, and 6 may have been
written much earlier than the others,
perhaps dating from Bach's Weimar period
(1708-1717), while 2, 4, and 5 most
likely came from Cöthen. Bach later
put them together and dedicated them
to the Margrave of Brandenburg.
The Second might be
the most popular of the six for its
brilliant scoring. This is an example
of a common orchestral genre of the
Baroque known as the concerto grosso.
This utilizes two ensembles, one large
and one small. The large one is called
the ripieno or tutti;
this includes the orchestra. A group
of soloists comprise the smaller group,
entitled the concertino (meaning
little concerto group). In this work
Bach's ripieno includes solo
flute or recorder, trumpet, violin,
oboe, and continuo. The trumpet part
is very virtuosic, written to employ
a style known as ‘clarino playing’ in
which the trumpeter played in the highest
range of the instrument, and using quickly-changing
lip pressure to change the pitch of
the instrument. The trumpet of Bach's
day was a long tubed instrument without
valves, which were added around 1815.
Today, we normally hear a piccolo trumpet
(sometimes called a "Bach trumpet"),
which is pitched higher to play these
passages more easily; however, the tone
of the instrument is quite brilliant,
and tends to dominate the texture whenever
it is played.
J.S. Bach: Orchestral
Suite No. 2 for flute and strings, in
B minor, BWV 1067 (Transcribed for Trumpet)
Bach's BWV 1067 is
one of four surviving "orchestral suites"
— although Bach would have called them
ouvertures, that is, dance suites
in the French style. Each of these pieces
included a long opening movement featuring
a slow introduction, a fast fugal allegro,
and a quasi-repeat of the introduction,
followed by a set of stylised dance
movements. Bach probably composed BWV
1067 when he was employed at the court
of Anhalt-Cöthen, during his Leipzig
years. Whereas the Orchestral Suite
No. 1 is a hybrid of concerto grosso
and ouverture, the Orchestral
Suite No. 2 mixes elements of a
solo concerto with the French suite.
On this recording the demanding and
virtuosic flute part has been transcribed
for the trumpet but we are not informed
by whom.
Telemann: Trumpet
Concerto in D major
A most prolific composer,
Telemann clearly enjoyed writing in
the concerto form as he was to composed
forty-seven solo concertos for a wide
variety of instruments. The Concerto
for trumpet, strings and basso continuo
in D major was never published in
his lifetime although the score is popular
and is contained on several compilation
discs of music deemed suitable for weddings.
The work is in the three movement form
and the slow introduction offers the
soloist an opportunity for lyric playing
in effective contrast to the fanfare-like
themes of the ensuing Allegro. The
Allegro is largely based around
the rhythmic and melodic figures introduced
by the orchestra. The third movement
is for the orchestra only and serves
as a brief connecting movement that
gives the soloist an opportunity to
rest for the spirited Allegro
finale.
Leopold Mozart:
Trumpet Concerto in D major
Leopold Mozart was
the father and mentor of the great Wolfgang
Amadeus and is renowned in his own right
as a composer and, in particular, as
the author of an important treatise
on violin playing. Leopold was not only
a fine violinist but it is believed
that he was also a trumpeter. The Trumpet
Concerto in D major is in two movements,
scored for solo trumpet, two horns,
strings and harpsichord continuo.
The first movement Adagio is
regarded as an excellent demonstration
of the lyrical qualities of the ‘natural’
(valveless, keyless and slideless) trumpet
as any in the repertoire. In the second
movement Allegro moderato the
strings, horns and soloist compete,
throwing the rustic, outdoor theme between
each other.
Rolf Smedvig is on
fine form with this Teldec reissue of
mainstream trumpet repertoire. Smedvig
seems to give each phrase its own personality
and there is a most agreeable timbre
to his playing. The booklet notes are
adequate although rather uninteresting
and the sound quality from the Telarc
engineers is top-class. Creditable performances.
Michael Cookson
Rolf Smedvig, trumpet 
