Below is a transcription of our conversation with CMU Trumpet Professor Neil Mueller:
David Nicholas:
I'm David Nicholas and this is Central Focus, a weekly look at research activity and innovative work from Central Michigan University students and faculty. Last week we spoke with CMU Trumpet Professor Neil Mueller about his time in Italy earlier this year as a guest artist of a music Conservatory in the city of Trento. He also had the opportunity to delve into the history of the instrument and one of its most important early practitioners…
You were also able to explore a number of historic instruments, and one trumpet crafted for, correct me if I'm wrong, Cesar Bendinelli, the author of the first treatise on trumpet performance. What can you tell us about him and what drew you to wanting to seek out that instrument? And or the treatise and (and) learn more about that.
Neil Mueller:
Yeah, well, that's (that's) a, that's a great question. But then the other instrument is this sort of Figure 8 natural trumpet, and this was Bendinelli's trumpet quite well known in in Verona. I think for a moment, because I did have my pronunciation corrected. I think it's “Chesare,” so emphasis on the on the front, but Caesar basically. Chesare Bendinelli was born in Verona, but he made his name; he was chief of the Imperial Trumpeters Corps in at the Court of Vienna, and spent most of his career there. And at that time, in the 16th century, trumpets had no valves. Trumpets were not so much considered musicians in the same way that a flautist or a (a), a harpsichordist or a violinist would have been considered a musician. But much of the musical function was to (to) play at court. To announce the birth of the next important whether it was the king or the prince to celebrate important seasons in the court or in the church. And so, you know, that's a big part of our history. Of the trumpet is sort of signaling. And ceremonial uses in the… absolutely, you know, think of the.
DN:
And the fanfares!
NM:
Absolutely, you know, think of the…
DN:
A lot of history and emotion, I would imagine when you hold something like that in your hands.
NM
Absolutely. As a professional trumpet player, but also as someone who's just as committed to continuing the art. For me, Maestro Bendinelli is a (a) major, a major figure. We don't have students because the instruments are so different. We don't have students by the Bendinelli book to learn the trumpet, but this was the first published treatise on trumpet playing from the early, it was written in the early 17th century, or I think, around 16. I'm going to get the exact date wrong, but in the in the first decade or so of the of the 17th century.
DN:
You'd mentioned that Ivano (Ascari) will be coming back to the states back to the campus of CMU in the fall. Are there other artists that you are working to, have any sort of related collaboration with or even if we were to (to) say the (the) wish list, the bucket list of artists that you would want to perform with? When, how might those opportunities potentially come to pass?
NM:
Well, I I'm (I'm) lucky in that I get it a chance to perform with a lot of great musicians, but this is…this is unique with Ivano because there there's no one else really doing this at the level that he is bringing, encouraging, growing the repertoire for our, for our instrument.
DN:
Well said! All the best with the collaboration with Ivano as it continues this fall and writes another chapter in your partnership with him. And as we sit down today, Neil, for this conversation, we're a week out from the start of the fall semester. And so, a whole new group of the next, of performers and composers and teachers, among those, the many trumpeters that you'll be working with, so all the best as the new academic year gets underway as well. And thank you for sharing all of these experiences with us today!
NM:
Thanks so much for having me on the radio, David! I really appreciate your support and helping us preach the (the) Gospel of great music!
