which note to trill to

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dave
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which note to trill to

Post by dave »

In Wagner's Huldigungsmarsch (key of Eb), there is a sequence of trills: Ab, B,D and E. The B and E being natural are not in the key. What is the right note to trill to in each case? Were sax horns even invented when Wagner wrote this?
Allen
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Post by Allen »

I'm playing this piece in band (Alfred Reed arrangement in Eb). I cannot claim academic musical credentials, but here is what I and the rest of the tuba section all agree is correct. [I can add that our learned director has not objected.]

Ab trill: trill up to Bb

B trill: trill up to C

D trill: trill up to Eb

E trill: trill up to F

Just treat those accidentals as affecting only the note they preceed. Since this is mid nineteenth century music, start the trills on the lower note. Naturally, the trills sound best when the entire section does them synchronized.

The saxhorn was invented about 1840. I don't have the date of the composition of Huldingungsmarsch, but R. Wagner's dates are 1813-1883, making him about 27 years old when the saxhorn was invented.

Allen Walker
dave
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Post by dave »

That is the way we are trilling it too, but the conductor did say as long as we agree, it is ok. But out of curiosity, it would be interesting to know what instruments the tuba & euphonium parts were played on when Wagner wrote the piece. If the brass were natural horns, then the trills would be different. I don't have a copy of the orig. orchestration, ours is the transcription by William Schaefer that says "edited for contemporary instrumentation" as opposed to "arranged by".

Dave
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