Johann Strauss (Sohn)

Kaiser Waltz

The exercises given below have been and still are for me the basis for a high degree of endurance, flexibility and accuracy in the range as well as for a full and beautiful sound. Regardless of your embouchure method, these exercises will enhance your endurance, range and flexibility together with sound culture in a relatively short time, if you obey a few basic rules. Many of the practical hints below, I found out after having caught a lesion of my ring muscles by blowing to hard at the summit of my career. As this first and foremost brought dramatic effects in terms of my endurance and I was not able to play longer than an hour with the accuracy demanded and even lost my job as 1st trumpeter in a renowned German big band. These events then forced me to rethink everything and I virtually had to invent my playing anew. Now I needed special exercises in order to gradually rebuild my ring muscles in a chary and effort sparing way and ensuring the even blood circulation in my lips. The best of these etudes I compiled here. Over the years and having had exchange with colleagues and students it became evident that these exercises are convenient for any trumpeter and that they are enhancing the play in a lasting way. The exercises may be played in any arbitrary order and it is not relevant whether you use them as daily warm up or as a 'mandatory program'.