Source: Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung
Eberbach News Wednesday/Thursday May 21/22 2008
...and the great master really came
Robert Civiletti taught trumpet playing –Clinic about tongue controlled embouchure with the internationally celebrated musician
by Barbara Nolten-Casado
Eberbach. For a seminar about the “tongue controlled embouchure” the famous American trumpeter Robert “BAHB” Civiletti stayed for two days at the Neckar. The spelling of BAHB is thought as a help for Europeans to pronounce the diminutive name Bob correctly. And this BAHB is known by experts as aneminent authority in playing the valve less Natural or Baroque trumpet.
Wolfgang Brecht, trumpet teacher at the music school of Hirschhorn and conductor of the Eberbach “Posaunenchor” since 1997 got the address of the master through the internet and contacted him and met him personally during his recordings for his new CD last year in Belgium. And since BAHB is not only aconvincing trumpeter but also hasbuilt up a reputation for himself as a pedagogue Brechtgraspedthe opportunity with both hands and invited him for a clinic with his “Posaunenchor” members.
And Bahb really came to Eberbach to teach 17 participants in trumpet playing. By the way he used his trip to Europefor releasing his meanwhile finished CD containing extremely high concerts of the late baroque era in Belgium,Germany and Switzerland.
In individual lessons of 15 to 20 minutes Bahb tried to correct and improve the playing skill of the participants. The others took part of this sitting in a half circle to get benefits of Bahbs English explanations. With thesethe intentionallycelebrated Baroque and Jazz trumpeter wants to demonstrate a embouchure technique that enables playing highest tones on the Baroque trumpet which are necessary for performing works being regardednot playable .
This technique can also be transmitted to modern brass instrumentsas Brecht eplained to us.Robert Civiletti contradicts the common opinion that the tongue has to lie behind the teeth when playing the trumpet. Rather the tip of the tongue must stay between the teeth touching the lower lip. This leads to a better compression of the air and so to a more focused sound. Furthermore BAHB´s technique brings more advantages for the player, needing less air to reach higher notes with less strain...
So far theory – now to practise! And the master did this magically with his natural trumpet in admirable heights. After this the students tried to do this on theirinstruments by their own, one after another. “Perfect, almost” BAHBacclaimed and demonstrated with patience again and again his imagination of perfection. The brass players from the Neckarvalleyseemed to be impressed. And, since Wolfgang Brecht months before this clinic began to teach the principles of TCE the progress was better by far.
“That´s really interesting” confirmed the youngest participant, 12 years old Alexander Schäffer. And his player colleague Immanuel Trussina emphasized:“The effect is incredible! You can hear the huge difference: after 20 minutes the soundtotally differs.”
Text to the photo: "The renowned American trumpet soloist Robert BAHB Civiletti taught the players how to get the trumpet tones (this is not a good adequate translation): in the picture with the youngest participant Alexander Schäffer."
The Text in italics: "Magic in purest Heights".