Slawomir Cichor

Works for Trumpet Ensemble

The idea of writing Works for Trumpet Ensemble arose out of my fascination with early music. Centuries ago, trumpet ensembles played a significant role in ceremonial music and in the proces of musical education. They flourished during the Renaissance and Baroque, thanks to the development of trumpet technique and cultural conditions which made the trumpet particularly desirable whenever a solemn mood was required. Today trumpet ensembles are highly popular in the United States, where the benefits of such a form of education were noted half century ago. Works as part of a trumpet ensemble gives players the opportunity to practise many aspects of their craft; among other things, it helps to teach keeping time and a sensitivity to phrasing and colour in the context of other instruments, trains harmonic listening, enhances the skill of active listening, and the same time gives pleasure in making music togeher. The compositions included in this collection were intended for performers at various levels of ability: for secondary school pupils, students and also professional trumpeters. All the scores were written out without transcription and can be performed on instruments tuned in C or in B. However, on account of the sound qualities, I recommend that some of the works (marked with an asterisk) be played on trumpet in B.