Orchestral Trumpet Literature

          Trumpet Literature is ever-growing and the options can be overwhelming. So how does one begin to build their knowledge of the world of Classical Trumpet? The obvious answer is to listen to as much music as you can. I compiled a list inspired by my own experience studying orchestral trumpet literature and Michael Sachs Book, the Orchestral Trumpet. To listen, click on this spotify playlist link.

Notes about the Music Catalogues Below…

1. The Bach-Werke-Verzeichnis or BWV, is a catalogue of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach. 

2. The Hoboken catalogue or Hob, is a catalogue of the musical compositions by Joseph Haydn compiled by Anthony van Hoboken. 

3. The Händel-Werke-Verzeichnis or HWV, is the Catalogue of Handel's Works.

4. The Köchel catalogue or K, s a chronological catalogue of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

5.  An Opus is a separate composition or set of compositions by a particular composer, usually ordered by date of publication. (Oxford Languages)

John Coolidge Adams (1947-Present) American Composer

1. Doctor Atomic Symphony

   1. Condensed instrumental work based off of his 2005 Opera, Doctor Atomic. 

2. The Wound Dresser 

   1. Inspired by Walt Whiteman’s poem, “The Wound Dresser '' which covers the poet's own experience during the American Civil War.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) German Composer of the Baroque Period

1. B Minor Mass (BWV 232)

   1. Extended setting of the Mass ordinary. 

2. Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 (BWV 1047)

   1. Six instrumental works presented to Christian Ludwig of Bradenburg-Schwedt who was a military officer of the Prussian Army.

3. Cantata No. 51 (BWV 51)    

   1. The German Title, Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen! The English Title, “Rejoice unto God in all lands!”.

4. Cantata No. 80 (BWV 80)

   1. The German Title, Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott. The English Title, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God". A chorale written for Reformation Day, a Protestant Christian Holiday celebrated on October 31st. 

5. Christmas Oratorio (BWV 248)

   1. A six part work and is intended to be performed for one of the Christmas Feasts. 

6. Magnificat (BWV 243)

   1. The first liturgical composition on Latin text by Bach.

Samuel Osmond Barber (1910-1981) American Composer

1. Violin Concerto, Op. 14

   1. Samuel Simon Fels commissioned Barber to write a violin concerto for his ward Iso Briselli. 

Béla Bartók (1881-1945) Hungarian Composer

1. Concerto for Orchestra 

   1. Five movement orchestral work and was written as a commision to the Koussevitzky Foundation. 

2. Miraculous Mandarin, Op. 19 

   1. One Act pantomime ballet and usually performed as an orchestral suite because it was banned as a ballet based on moral grounds.  

Ludvig Van Beethoven (1770-1827) German Composer of the Romantic Era

1. Leonore No. 2, Op. 72a & Leonore No. 3, Op. 72b

   1. Overture for Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio. 

2. Symphony No. 4 Op. 60

   1. The Symphony was written during the summer and early Autumn of 1808 and was dedicated to Count Franz von Oppersdorf.

3. Symphony No. 5, Op. 67

   1. The Symphony was written between 1804 and 1808 and is one of the most well known compositions of classical music. 

4. Symphony No. 7,Op. 92

   1. The Symphony was written between 1811 and 1812 while Beethoven was improving his health in the Bohemian spa town of Teplice.

5. Symphony No. 9, Op. 125

   1. Beethoven was the first major composer to include a chorus and vocalists in a symphony.

6. Violin Concerto, Op. 61

   1. The first performance in 1806 by Franz Clement was unsuccessful. The work was revived in 1844 by a 12 year old violinist, Joseph Joachim.

Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) French Composer of the Romantic Era

1. Roman Carnival Overture, Op. 9

   1. Intended as the prelude of the Second Act of his Opera, Benvenuto Cellini.

2. Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14

   1. A Program Symphony first performed at the Paris Conservatoire on December 5, 1830.

Georges Bizet (1838-1875) French Composer of the Romantic Era

1. Carmen Suite 1 & 2

   1. Compiled posthumously by his friend, this is the music from the 1875 opera Carmen. 

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) German Composer of the Romantic Era

1. Academic Festival Overture, Op. 80

   1. Composed during the Summer of 1880 as a contribution to the University of Breslau. 

2. Symphony No. 1, Op. 68

   1. Brahms declared this symphony was 21 years worth of work.

3. Symphony No. 2, Op. 73

   1. Composed in the summer of 1877 during a visit to Pörtschach am Wörthersee, Austria. 

Edward Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) English Composer 

1. Four Sea Interludes from the Opera “Peter Grimes”, Op. 33a

   1. The first Opera of Britten’s that was a critical and popular success. 

Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) Austrian Composer of the Romantic Era

1. Symphony No. 4 

   1. Premiered in 1881 in Vienna and dedicated to Prince Konstantin of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst.

2. Symphony No. 7

   1. Sometimes referred to as “Lyric”,  this symphony was dedicated to Ludvig II of Bavaria. 

3. Symphony No. 8

   1. The last symphony that Bruckner composed, and was dedicated to Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria.

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) American Composer

1. An Outdoor Overture

   1. Composed for the indoor auditorium of the High School of Music and Art in New York City.

2. El Salón México 

   1. A symphonic composition that uses exclusive Mexican Folk Songs. 

3. Quiet City

   1. Incidental music for the play, A Quiet City by Irwin Shaw.

4. Rodeo, Hoe Down

   1. Rodeo is a ballet that consists of five sections. 

5. Symphony No. 3

   1. The final symphony that Copland wrote at the end of World War II. 

Claude Debussy (1862-1918) French Impressionist Composer

1. La Mer

   1. Symphonic Literature that was inspired by art of the Sea.

2. Nocturnes (II. Fetes) 

   1. Fetes or Festivals was inspired by a series of impressionist paintings by James Abbott McNeill Whistler.

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) Czech Composer following the Romantic Era

1. Symphony No. 5, Op. 76

   1. Composed in the summer of 1875 and originally published as the third symphony.

2. Symphony No. 8, Op. 88 

   1. Composed for the occasion of his election to the Bohemian Academy of Science, Literature and Arts. 

3. Symphony No. 9, Op. 95

   1. Nicknamed the New World Symphony based on the time he spent in the United States during the 1890s.

George Gershwin (1898-1937) American Composer

1. An American in Paris

   1. Inspired by the time Gershwin visited Paris.

2. Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra

   1. Commissioned by the conductor and director, Walter Damrosch. 

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) German Composer of the Baroque Period

1. Messiah (No. 48 “The Trumpet Shall Sound”) (HWV 56)

   1. The Messiah is an English Oratorio with scriptural text and first performed in Dublin. 

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) Austrian Composer in the Classical Period

1. Symphony No. 100, Hob.1/100

   1. Symphony No. 100 is commonly referred to as the Military Symphony and is number 8 of 12 in the London Symphonies.

Gustav Holst (1874-1934) English Composer

1. The Planets

   1. Each movement is intended to portray the ideas and emotions of the astrological depiction of planets.  

Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1908) German Composer

1. Prelude to Hansel und Gretel 

   1. The opera was first performed in the Hoftheater in Weimar on 23 December 1893 and was conducted by Richard Strauss.

Jacques Ibert (1890-1962) French Composer

1. Escales

   1. Ibert submitted Escales, an orchestral suite that was inspired by his travels across Europe. 

Charles Ives (1874-1954) American Composer

1. Variations on “America” 

   1. Composed when Ives was 17 years old for a Fourth of July Celebration. 

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) Austrian Composer 

1. Das Lied von der Erde

   1. A composition for two voices and an orchestra and was described as a symphony when it was first published. 

2. Symphony No. 1

   1. Modern performances commonly refer to this symphony as the“Titan”.

3. Symphony No. 2

   1. Known as the Resurrection Symphony, this work depicts Mahler’s view of the afterlife. 

4. Symphony No. 3 

   1. The longest symphony that Mahler has composed, around 90-110 minutes. 

5. Symphony No. 4

   1. Incorporates a song that depicts a child’s view of Heaven. 

6. Symphony No. 5

   1. Written while Mahler was in his lakeside villa when he was recovering from a major hemorrhage.

7. Symphony No. 6

   1. Nicknamed the Tragic Symphony, this work was composed during a happier time of his life. 

8. Symphony No. 7

   1. This symphony was named the Song of the Night. 

9. Symphony No. 9 

   1. This was the last Symphony that Mahler composed. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Austrian Composer of the Classical Period

1. Serenade No. 9 (“Posthorn”), K.320

   1. This work was intended for the 1779 University of Salzburg's “finalmusik” Ceremony.

Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1901) Russian Composer of the Romantic Period

1. Pictures at an Exhibition 

   1. A suite of 10 pieces inspired by watercolors produced by his recently deceased friend. 

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) Russian Composer

1. Lieutenant Kijé Suite, Op. 60

   1. This work was originally written to accompany the film, Lieutenant Kijé.

2. Symphony No. 5, Op. 100 

   1. This symphony was composed in the Soviet Union during the Second World War. 

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) Russian Composer of the Late Romantic Period

1. Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 43

   1. This was written at his summer home in Switzerland when he was only 18 years old. 

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) French Impressionist Composer

1. Alborado del Gracioso 

   1. A short orchestral piece that was originally intended for a Ballet. 

2. Bolero

   1. A one movement orchestral piece that was commissioned for a ballet by a Russian Actress and Dancer. 

3. Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No 2

   1. A ballet in which the story is based upon the Greek Story of Daphnis and his shepherdess lover who was abducted by pirates. 

4. Piano Concerto in G

   1. This piece was influenced by Jazz and Basque folk music. 

5. Rapsodie Espagnole

   1. One of his first major works for orchestra that draws on his Spanish heritage. 

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) Italian Composer

1. Pines of Rome

   1. A four movement Symphonic poem depicts pine trees in four locations of Rome. 

2. Roman Festivals

   1. Each of the Four Movements depicts a scene from either Ancient or Modern Rome. 

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908) Russian Composer 

1. Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34

   1.  A Five movement Orchestral Suite that is based on Spanish Folk Songs.

2. Scheherazade, Op. 35

   1. This piece was inspired by Arabian Nights Legends. 

Robert Schumann (1810-1856) German Composer of the Romantic Era

1. Symphony No. 2, Op. 61

   1. This symphony is dedicated to Oscar I, King of Sweden and Norway. 

Alexander Scriabin (1872-1915) Russian Composer

1. Le Poem de l’Extase, Op. 54

   1. A symphonic poem that was composed when Scriabin was actively involved in the Theosophical Society.

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) Russian Composer 

1. Piano Concerto, Trumpet, and Strings, Op. 35

   1. This concerto was an experimentation of a Neo-Baroque combination of instruments. 

2. Symphony No. 1, Op. 10

   1. Completed at the age of 19, this was his graduation piece of the Petrograd Conservatory. 

3. Symphony No. 5, Op. 47

   1. During the premiere, the audience held a standing ovation for over half an hour. 

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) Finnish Composer 

1. Symphony No. 2, Op. 43

   1. Sibelius began this piece in the beginning of 1901 in Italy and finished it in 1902 in Finland. 

Richard Strauss (1864-1909) German Composer

1. Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30

   1. A tone poem that was inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's philosophical novel Thus Spoke Zarathustra.

2. An Alpine Symphony, Op. 64

   1. A tone poem that depicts the eleven hours it takes to climb the Alpine Mountain. 

3. Death and Transfiguration, Op. 24

   1. A tone poem that depicts the death of an artist. 

4. Der Bürger als Edelmann/Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Op. 60

   1. An orchestral suite that he wrote between 1911 and 1917. 

5. Don Juan, Op. 20

   1. A tone poem based on the play, Don Juan Endes. 

6. Don Quixote, Op. 35

   1. A tone poem based on the novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes.

7. Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40

   1. Also known as A Hero’s Life, this work was completed in 1898. 

8. Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme, Op. 60

   1. A thirty minute orchestral suite that was finished on Christmas Day in 1917. 

9. Symphonia Domestica, Op. 53

   1. A tone poem that conveys daily events and family life. 

10. Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28

    1. A tone poem that conveys the misadventures of a German Peasant folk hero. 

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) Russian Composer

1. Firebird 1919 Suite

   1. A Russian Ballet that tells the downfall of a terrible evil. 

2. L’Histoire du Soldat 

   1. Also known as the Soldier’s Tale, it is a work that is to be read, played, and danced. 

3. Octet

   1. This piece is scored for an unusual instrumentation of wind instruments and was written fairly quickly. 

4. Petrouchka, Ballerina’s Dance

   1. Petrouchka is a Ballet that tells the story of three puppets. 

5. The Rite of Spring

   1. A Ballet that portrays the story where a young girl is chosen and dances to death.

6. Song of the Nightingale

   1. An opera that is set in three acts and is told by a Chinese fisherman. 

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Russian Composer of the Romantic Era

1. Capriccio Italian, Op. 45

   1. A Fantasy for Orchestra that was inspired by a trip that Tchaikovsky took with his brother to Rome.   

2. Swan Lake, Op. 20

   1. A ballet that tells the story of Princess Odette who turns into a Swan. 

3. Symphony No. 4, Op. 36

   1. Sometimes referred to as the Fate, was dedicated to his “Best Friend”. 

4. Symphony No. 5, Op. 64

   1. This Symphony is dedicated to Theodor Avé-Lallemant, director of the Hamburg Philharmonic Society.

5. Symphony No. 6, Op. 74

   1. Also known as the Pathétique Symphony, this work was performed nine days before his death. 

6. The Nutcracker, Op. 71

   1. A ballet that was originally unsuccessful, is now performed predominantly in North America during Christmas time. 

Richard Wagner (1813-1893) German Composer

1. Die Walker 

   1. This is the second of four music dramas of The Ring of the Nibelung.

2. Gotterdammerung 

   1. This the last of the four music dramas of The Ring of the Nibelung. 

3. Overture to Rienzi

   1. An opera in five acts that is set in Rome and is based on the life of a medieval italian populist figure. 

4. Overture to Tannhauser

   1. An opera that is based upon two German legends, a poet and a song contest. 

5. Prelude to Parsifal

   1. An opera that is loosely based on a 13th century epic poem about the search for the Holy Grail.

6. Siegfried Idyll 

   1. A symphonic poem that was composed for his second wife’s birthday.