Bohuslav Martinu

Sonatine

Bohuslav Martinu (1890-1959) was a prolific Czech composer, writing many large scale works. The composer moved to Paris in 1923 where he began experimenting in a variety of composition styles. Sonatine for Trumpet and Piano was composed in 1957 and is adaptable to both the B flat and C Trumpet. Martinu himself was a violinist but he liked to experiment and the mid-1950s saw him move to Nice in France, where he began writing Sonatas for wind and brass. Sonatine for Trumpet exemplifies the composer's influence of Stravinsky, Debussy and jazz music. The piece is excitingly virtuosic in its use of flutter tonguing, complex rhythms, chromaticism, and ensemble between the Trumpet and Piano. As a varied, substantial work for the Trumpet repertoire, Martinu 's Sonatine is essential to the advanced trumpeter.