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Portrait of Wynton Marsalis

With tour de force performances on both trumpet and cornet of music ranging from the Baroque, through the Classical era, and into the 20th century, this “Portrait” illustrates the extraordinary diversity of Wynton Marsalis’ classical repertory. Marsalis recorded each of these works between 1982 (when he was just 21 years old) and 1987. The 1982 recording of Hummel’s Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra in E-flat Major comes from his fist classical album, which won Marsalis a Grammy for Best Classical Performance – Instrumental Soloist(s) with Orchestra.

Portrait of Wynton Marsalis

Album Info

Ensemble Multiple Ensembles
Release Date September 20th, 1988
Recording Date 1982-1985-1987
Record Label Sony Classical
Catalogue Number SK 44726
Formats CD, Digital Download, LP
Genre Classical Recordings

Track Listing

Track Length Preview
Johann Nepomuk Hummel – Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra in E-Flat Major
I. Allegro 9:45 Play
II. Andante 4:14 Play
III. Allegro 3:33 Play
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - The Flight of the Bumble-Bee 1:04 Play
Antonio Vivaldi - Concerto for 2 Trumpets and Strings in C major, RV 537
I. Allegro 3:08 Play
II. Largo 0:58 Play
III. Allegro 3:20 Play
Jules Levy - Grand Russian Fantasia 6:21 Play
Herman Bellstedt - Napoli – Variations on a Neapolitan Song 5:44 Play
Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706) Canon for 3 Trumpets and Strings* 6:29 Play
Johann Fasch (1688-1758) Concerto for Trumpet, 2 Oboes and Strings in D major
I. Allegro 2:06 Play
II. Largo 0:58 Play
III. Allegro 2:33 Play
(Traditional Spiritual): Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child 3:20 Play
Andre Jolivet (1905-1974) Concerto No. 2 for Trumpet (1954)
I. Mesto-Concitato 4:25 Play
II. Grave 2:40 Play
III. Giocoso 3:48 Play

Liner Notes

Wynton Marsalis was born on October 18, 1961. Like many prominent jazz players, he comes from New Orleans. His father, Ellis Marsalis is a widely respected musician, composer, and educator, and from an early age, Wynton acquired valuable experience in his hometown marching bands, jazz bands, funk bands, and youth orchestras. He was given his first trumpet at age 6 by Al Hirt, but he did not pursue the instrument seriously until he started studying classical music at the age of 12.
After playing first trumpet in the New Orleans Civic Orchestra throughout high school and taking part in the summer program at Tanglewood’s Berkshire Music Center at the age of 17, Wynton Marsalis entered the Juilliard School at 18 and was soon recognized as the school’s most impressive young trumpeter. He performed as a pit musician in Sweeney Todd on Broadway and played with the Brooklyn Philharmonia.

The following summer he joined Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Since his New York concert debut in 1982, Wynton Marsalis has become a permanent fixture on the international jazz scene. He also devotes considerable time to the promotion of jazz and music education, taking particular pride in upholding one of the great jazz traditions through his support and development of young jazz talents.
As well as making a number of TV appearances for shows in the US, Wynton Marsalis has written music for television and film. He has also composed a ballet to a commission fro the Brooklyn Academy of Music in a recent collaboration with choreographer Garth Fagan and sculptor Martin Puryear. As an exclusive SONY MUSIC/SONY CLASSICAL recording artist, Wynton Marsalis has achieved extraordinary critical and popular success. Winner of 8 Grammy awards, and a nominee 23 times over the past 10 years, he made history in 1983 as the first artist to win Grammys in both the Jazz and Classical fields, as “Best Soloist” and “Best Soloist with Orchestra” respectively, an achievement he went on to repeat the following year.

His first record, in 1982, entitled “Wynton Marsalis” has been followed by at least one new jazz and one new classical release in virtually every year thereafter. His most recent release for SONY CLASSICAL features duets for soprano and trumpet by Baroque composers, which Marsalis performs with the soprano Kathleen Battle and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. With tour de force performances on both trumpet and cornet of music ranging from the Baroque, through the Classical era, and into the 20th century, this “Portrait” illustrates the extraordinary diversity of Wynton Marsalis’ classical repertory.

Credits

Johann Nepomuk Hummel (1778-1837)
Concerto in E-flat Major for Trumpet and Orchestra:
1. I. Allegro con spirito (cadenza: Wynton Marsalis)
2. II. Andante
3. III. Rondo. Allegro molto

Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
National Philharmonic Orchestra
Raymond Leppard, conductor
(recording: EMI Studio No. 1, London, December 15-17, 1982)

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)
4. The Flight of the Bumblebee from Tsar Saltan
(arranged by Donald Hunsberger)

Wynton Marsalis, cornet
Eastman Wind Ensemble
Donald Hunsberger, conductor
(recording: Eastman Theater, The Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, September 13-15, 1985)

Antonio Vivaldi (1578-1741)
Concerto in C Major for Two Trumpets and Strings, RV 537:
5. I. Allegro
6. II. Largo
7. III. Allegro

Wynton Marsalis, trumpet (synchronisation)
English Chamber Orchestra
Raymond Leppard, conductor

Jules Levy (1838-1903)
8. Grand Russian Fantasia
(arranged by Donald Hunsberger)

Wynton Marsalis, cornet
Eastman Wind Ensemble
Donald Hunsberger, conductor
(recording: Eastman Theater, The Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, September 13-15, 1985)

Herman Bellstedt (1858-1926)
9. Napoli – Variations On A Neapolitan Song
(collated by Frank Simon, arranged by Donald Hunsberger)

Wynton Marsalis, cornet
Eastman Wind Ensemble
Donald Hunsberger, conductor
(recording: St. Barnaba’s Church, London, February 2-5 & March 31-April 3, 1987)

Johann Pachelbel (1653-1706)
10. Canon for Three Trumpets and Strings
(adapted, elaborated and arranged by Raymond Leppard)

Wynton Marsalis, trumpet (synchronisation)
English Chamber Orchestra
Raymond Leppard, conductor
(recording: St. Barnaba’s Church, London, February 2-5 & March 31-April 3, 1987)

Johann Fasch (1688-1758)
Concerto in D Major for Trumpet, Two Oboes and Strings: Concerto in D Major for Trumpet, Two Oboes and Strings:
11. I. Allegro
12. II. Largo
13. III. Allegro (Moderato)

Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
English Chamber Orchestra
Raymond Leppard, conductor
(recording: St. Barnaba’s Church, London, April 1984)

Traditional Spiritual
14. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
(arranged by Donald Hunsberger)

Wynton Marsalis, cornet
Eastman Wind Ensemble
Donald Hunsberger, conductor
(recording: Eastman Theater, The Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, September 13-15, 1985)

André Jolivet (1905-1974)
Concerto No. 2 for Trumpet and Orchestra (1954):
15. I. Mesto; Concitato
16. II. Grave
17. III. Giocoso

Wynton Marsalis, trumpet
Philharmonia Orchestra
Esa-Pekka Salonen, condutor
(recording: Walthamstow Town Hall, London, June 1985)

Producers:
Thomas Mowrey (1-3)
Steven Epstein (4-17)

Engineers:
Michael Gray & Stuart Eltham (1-3)
Bud Graham (4-10 & 14-17)
Tony Faulkner (11-13)

Cover design: C.C. Garbers
Cover photo: Ken Nahoum

Personnel

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