Concerto for Trumpet in a Baroque Style

I was listening to a baroque trumpet concerto the other day and I thought it'd be fun to try and write something similar, so I did! (although this is just the first movement) As an experiment I also wrote it all on manuscript paper and later typed it out in Sibelius to find out what it sounded like, which was quite fun :D. It's my first upload to this site, but any criticism would be nice thanks. It's also the first time I've ever written anything in a baroque style, and also use your imagination to realise the figured bass if it sounds a bit empty in places...

Concerto for Trumpet in a Baroque Style

Well done! Nice neo-Baroque styling. You've captured the flavour and spirit of the idiom, and if that's what you were trying to do - and no more - you've succeeded nicely, and I would have no criticism.

If, however, you were striving for something authentically Baroque, I could offer observations, criticism and suggestions (from the point of view of someone who has made historicism his life's avocation); because while quite good, this falls a ways short of authenticity. There is nothing wrong with that whatsoever...unless it was one of your goals.

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I share the same feelings as Graham on hearing your piece. You've done a very nice job capturing the essence of Baroque writing. My own criticism, however, is in your various parts and their relationship with one another. Oftentimes you have all the instruments moving in parallel motion with one another. Today, there's nothing wrong with moving in parallel or contrary motion (at least not in my eyes) - but in doing historical music you must adhere to the rules and customs of that musical style. In baroque music, there was a strict adherence that your bass line should almost always be contrary to the melodic line. This provided a clear delineation between bass and melody as well as provide a more interesting backdrop to the overall sound of the piece. Aside from that... bravo on a nice piece here!

The piece is really moving and, if not in the form (I am unable to comment on it, have to learn a lot before) in the emotional effect is baroque, with its fresh joy. Did you think about having a full (I mean, harmonized) harpsicord continuo? I feel the piece would greatly benefit of it.

Great work, and I'm amazed that this is your first time tackling a Baroque idiom! You've certainly captured the Baroque sound, but you can get much more idiomatic. While many of us can offer you suggestions, I recommend taking J. Lee Graham up on his offer for historical critiques, if that's what you're going for or if you simply want to learn more.

On a few quick notes, there is a bit too much sequencing here for my taste and for the idiom, but it still sounds very nice. From a formal standpoint, saving those high trumpet notes for the end is quite effective. Also, you might consider harmonizing the continuo yourself or adding figured bass.

Thanks everyone for the very kind words, and I think having a critique from a historical viewpoint would be very interesting and beneficial, so if you want to J. Lee Graham (if you ever look at this post again) would you mind pointing some of these out? I have a feeling the trumpet part may have too many accidentals to be played on a natural trumpet...

this is awsome!

a very accomplished piece

Welcome to YC! A fine introduction to the community.

First thing: don't worry about chromaticism. There's not much at all in this piece. And to be honest not many people play natural trumpet. Those who do play tpts with vents that can tune those out of tune notes pretty well.

Second thing: like everyone was saying, you've captured the mood of the baroque sound, but not the texture and styling of it. The biggest one IMO is that the format of basically every up-tempo baroque trumpet concerto is Statement-Echo, Statement-Echo. Not Idea-Counteridea, Idea-Counteridea like you have here. For a string orchestra accompaniment the echo isn't usually exact, but the lines are usually VERY imitative. I don't think I explained that very well, perhaps Mr. Graham can do better with what I'm talking about. :hmmm:

And a few of the sequences were a bit awkward and I felt there were too many of them compared with straight-up melody.

Blah blah, criticisms done.

Enjoyable listen! All the criticisms aside, I wouldn't be too concerned about getting the style exactly right, unless you REALLY want to write true historical style in your compositions at large. Because it does sounds quite nice. Thanks for sharing. :phones:

[edit]

Oh, yeah. Don't call it "D trumpet." You didn't transpose it, so it's not a D trumpet, it's just a trumpet (in C). Incidentally, don't write for D trumpet. I've played a good number of baroque tpt pieces, and they're usually notated in concert pitch.