[TPIN] Swan Lake Suite/transposition/equipment

[Glenn Bengry]

Burt,
 
    If it says Pistone A   it is in A until the next place that it gives you the key of the horn.  Usually the guys before you will have made some mark, and if not, you can make your own mark to remind you of where you have to change transpositions.
 
    some guys have old cornets from the 20's or 30's or before that have the valve to switch the horn to A.  I don't have one and transpose the parts.  C cornets are not uncommon.  There are some good ones out there.  Once again, I don't have one.  I have a C trumpet that I use for most things.  I rely on my mouthpieces and my ability to affect the tone quality if I want to sound a certain way.  There are, for me, limited resources to invest in all of these great specialty instruments.  I am going to aquire some when I can, but until then, its my transposition skills and my tone production skills that I must rely upon.    
 
    If you listen to recordings and performances of Swan Lake and other things, you will hear all manner of different ways to sound on these various parts, and undoubtedly there have been all manner of horns played on these parts as well.   Have fun.  Its cool music.  Beyond playing the right notes, you have an awful lot of license to sound your own way with your own choice of equipment.
 
glenn> > Pistone (A)> Does this mean cornet (a piston) throughout?> ...or just for the 'big solo' in Danse Napolitaine?> > In the case of Danse Napolitaine in FMaj:> ...do you play it in EMaj on Bb cornet? ...or in DMaj on C trumpet?> > ...just curious, do you orchestral guys possess and use cornets in A or in C?>