This is trumpeter Balazs Nemes playing Concertpiece no.
I had neither heard of the composer or piece before running across both on Youtube today. The quickie Wikipedia article on Brandt tells us that he was one of the late 19th Century's greatest trumpet virtuosi, and this is certainly a piece that deserves to be more widely performed by "classical" trumpet players.
Nemes has a funny expresssion on his face at the end of his perfrormance, as if he'd botched it, but this is a reasonably good job. He's not an elite player, by any means, in terms of tone or assured technique, but he plays a fairly difficult piece well, if not brilliantly.
Here's the same work, as performed by the masterful Sergei Nakariakov:
11 comments:
However some little mistakes can be found in this Brandt performance of Mr. Balázs Nemes, he belongs undoubtedly to the trumpeters' elite. A trumpeter, who had worked at the Met as Mark Gould's successor, furthermore was among the five on trial at Chicago Symphony before the appointment of Chris Martin must belong to group of the bests. (Balázs was given the offer in Chicago, which he refused, because he had no chance to choose another instrument and mouthpiece than the obligatory ones.) Be it said on his favor, he arrived to the spot only thity minutes before the concert after a flight from Frankfurt, where he possesses the principal trumpet chair at the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra as the successor of Reinhold Friedrich.
A live performance should not be compared to studio recordings at all. In this case Mr. Nemes arrived to the spot just 30 minutes before the concert after a flight from Germany to celebrate the 70th birthday of his (and many other's) trumpet teacher, Ms. Éva Nagyiván. He had hardly a chance to rehearse with the local pianist Brandt's Concertpiece No.2 (NOT No.1 !!! Please correct it!). On the other hand an artist, who has been working as principal trumpet at the greatest orchestras of the world must be considered as an elite player. He was appointed as principal trumpet at the Met in New York after the retirement of Mark Gould and he was among the five on trial at Chicago Symphony before the appointment of Chris Martin. (Furthermore he was offered the job in Chicago, what he refused because of the obligation regarding to the instrument and mouthpiece usage.) After the US period he returned to the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra where he had worked before and works still as principal. Listen to his recordings as a solist of baroque music. In this relation his disappointment after this Brandt performance is totally understandable.
You are a relative of the gentleman, I presume?
As the uploader of the videos of Mr. Nemes' Brandt performance and Mr. Simai's Gershwin production I have to take the responsibility for that movies on Youtube. Since You have not corrected the name spelling (Smail to Simai), the numbering of the Brandt Concertpiece (from No.1 to No.2) in the first line of your blog text (however the given title is OK), and have not changed the blog text at certain points categorizing a world famous artist as an average musician, I decided to restrict the embedding function in the case of the Brandt No.2 video. It was a regretful decision, because many others, including some "elite trumpeters", here only Mark Gould and Raymond Mase, the professors of the Julliard School to mention, thought this performance of Mr. Nemes worthy to embed and present on their own web sites, and the restriction affects everybody's, even their websites, blogs. (Please note one thing, even the best players can have average days and average productions, but they should not categorized on the basis on one and only performance.) If you correct the abovementioned records in your otherwise very interesting and highly valuable blog, I will let the embedding again.
Yours sincerely
I didn't correct the spelling because (admittedly brief) research couldn't verify what you'd said. I will make the changes you suggest, however.
My comments on the gentleman's playing are merely my opinion. I have heard many live performances of many musicians, and I think one has to take what one hears and judge it accordingly. I'm sure he's as fine a player as you say.
You can find some pieces of information and video relating to Mr. Nemes in the next sources.
Curriculum vitae:
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Concerto Grosso Frankfurt:
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Trumpetmaster.com: .
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About his instrument:
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Critics:
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Live performance of Mahler's 3rd:
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This "non-elite player, by any means, in terms of tone or assured technique" (Nemes) is being asked regularly by the world's 1st ranked symphony orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam (see the poll of Gramophone magazine 2008. November)to play first solo trumpet with them since the two principal chairs are vacant. I saw him to perform as principal at a Matinée Concert in Vienna, Musikvereinsaal (Leonora Ouverture Nr.3, Janaček's "Stara bulba" and Tschaikowsky's 4th Symphony) on 7th November 2010.
Did this orchestra, and other elite ones (CSO, MET) judge him excessively?
Listen to this performance, then Nakariakov's treatment of the same piece.
Then listen to "Frigga" of A. Shilkloper (and Nakariakov) on Youtube, where both soloist have nearly the same task in concert conditions. Compare the two styles of playing. Nakariakov feels a little bit frustrated sharing the spotlight with a jazz horn player who is familiar with folk music styles as well, isn't he. But I think, nobody would be so mad and dare to conclude from this and only concert video, that Nakariakov's play, technique and artistry is inferior than Shilkloper's one, which is very effective and seems more versatile and energetic at the first sight. As far as the classical guys concerned any comparison should consider the following facts: An orchestral player needs quite another skills, sound and style than a soloist (which you can prefer or not). The differences of timbre (1), technical (2) and stylistical approach (3) become obvious when we listen to an orchestral player like Nemes or Hans Gansch and an artist who was trained to make his living as a soloist. [I mean (1) the sonorous German rotary valve trumpet vs. the brilliance of piston valved ones, (2) choosing moderate tempi to secure the performance vs. ardent but always controlled ones, where sometimes the virtuosity seems an art for art's sake, (3) or German orchestral vs. Russian soloistic tradition: even sound vs. vibrated tone rooted mainly in the Russian violin traditions.] Some of the prize winning and world famous trumpeters had difficulties with orchestral work as far as the adaption to the local traditions, sound and to the different groups of the orchestra concerned. (I have heard some stories but not about Nakariakov.) It is most likely the situation when Nakariakov could not keep the pace with Shilkloper as far as the articulation, phrasing, elementary energy, sound and improvisation deriving from folks music concerned.) Both the soloistic and orchestral play have their uninterchangeble values. Nemes is one of the most wanted principal trumpeters in the circle of "A list" conductors nowadays. His appointments and engagements prove that. And do not forget the fact, that these conductors' and orchestras' judgment of anybody's play on the scene is much more important and relevant in the international music life than yours or mine in this blog regarding to this sole video. I suppose they will not change their opinion listening to his live performance of Brandt's Concertpiece, even if it was "botched". They will engage Nemes mainly as orchestral musician and Nakariakov exclusively as classical soloist as they did it in the past.
My comment on it being "botched" was actually based on Nemes' facial expression at the end of the piece.
As a (hack) trumpet player, I am entitled to my own opinions. They are mostly based on a player's tone and mastery, in my humble opinion, of the style and mood of a given piece. At this point, I'd rather hear Tine Thing Helseth than anybody, whom I'm sure at her (very young) age has yet to round into a complete artist, but has the qualities I enjoy.
Tine Thing Helseth (along with Allison Balsom) is really great trumpet player, and I can share your opinion. We are all looking forward her (their) new CD's and concert events. Anyway don't forget the role and priorities of the media. There are so many talented and fantastic trumpet players all over the world who lack this kind of support. As far as I know when Nemes was at that age (from 17), he was (and still is) famous for his upper register, and was engaged as baroque soloist, especially for the 2nd Brandenburg Concerto all over Germany. The Hungarian trumpet player performed it even in New York with the Philharmonia Virtuosi in 1998 aged 22. However his musical approach was criticized at that time by his predecessor at the Frankfurt Radio Orchestra, the fabulous Reinhold Friedrich. Anyway I look forward the live Brandenburg performance of the two above mentioned ladies, who have not played it yet. For me the best baroque performers are Reinhold Friedrich and his ex-student, Laura Vukobratovic on piccolo up to the 2nd Brandenburg Concerto and beyond (Laura, the Serbian woman plays it with incredible ease in Reinhold-style), and Niklas Eklund, Nathanial Mayfield (to mention an American) on baroque trumpet.
But back to Brandt. In my opinion the best or one of the bests in Brandt interpretation is neither Nemes (whose facial expression was very spontaneous and reflects honestly his self-criticism regarding to his current interpretation), nor Nakariakov with his hectic tempo changes, exaggerated vibrato and sharply brilliant, even thin trumpet sound (I think, the fluegelhorn suites him much better), but the extravagant Marco Pierobon (& Brass Band Ueberetsch). If you have not heard of him, then listen to his ardent style of Brandt's Concertpiece No.1 in F minor (which piece has considerably greater difficulties than the No.2): And do not forget the most influential orchestra artist and teacher in Middle-Europe, Hans Gansch from Austria. Listen to his solo CDs or his principal playing at the Vienna Philharmonic (from 1982 until 1996) and your musical approach concerning the sound and style will be shaped and developed, I am sure.
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